Share your Shakespeare: fans celebrate Bard's birthday

Today marks the 456th birthday of the world's most famous playwright, William Shakespeare. And usually thousands of people from across the world would be taking part in a parade through his home town of Stratford-Upon-Avon.

But the lockdown has inspired many to think digitally on how to mark the big occasion. The Royal Shakespeare Company is celebrating the playwright's birthday with help from hundreds of fans in lockdown.

It, in conjunction with the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, has compiled a mix of videos and photos that members of the public have sent in to mark the day. The theme ? To share their love of Shakespeare in whatever way they choose.

The RSC has described it as its biggest ever digital celebration by audiences. Some of their selected highlights, which can be viewed on the RSC's YouTube channel, include:

  • Romeo and Juliet – An emoji love story

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed by George the Cat

  • A family ‘zoom’ chat with characters King Lear, Goneril and Regan

  • An A to Z of Shakespeare - in Scrabble

  • The Great Shakespeare Bake Off

Photo of William Shakespeare Credit: PA

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust held a live digital chat celebrating the Bard's birthplace:

Meanwhile the ‘Everything to Everybody’ Project in Birmingham, is celebrating Shakespeare’s birthday by releasing 50 never-seen-before images from the Birmingham Shakespeare Library.

Read more:

Find out what Bob's favourite piece of Shakespeare work is

Bid to move railings to protect Shakepeare's birthplace