Host of stars to celebrate Shakespeare's 400th anniversary

Dame Helen Mirren, Benedict Cumberbatch and Gregory Porter will celebrate Shakespeare's work. Credit: PA

A host of stars have been announced for a night celebrating Shakespeare's 400th anniversary.

Dame Helen Mirren, Benedict Cumberbatch, Gregory Porter, will join acclaimed actors David Suchet and Dame Judi Dench among many other artists for a one-night extravaganza of Shakespeare-inspired works spanning genres from hip-hop to opera.

Shakespeare Live! will be hosted by David Tennant at the RSC's theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon and audience members will include Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Other names already assembled by the Royal Shakespeare Company's artistic director Gregory Doran include Sir Ian McKellen, Alison Moyet, Joseph Fiennes, Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar and the English National Opera.

A ballot for tickets for the general public has closed, but Shakespeare Live! will be broadcast on BBC Two on April 23 at 8.30pm and screened live in 368 cinemas in the UK and Europe.