HAPPY BARDDAY! The 23rd of April is Shakespeare’s “official” birthday and indeed also the day he was born. A little spooky as this is of course England’s National Day. The British Shakespeare Company introduced the idea of a National Shakespeare Day and we would ask you to visit the site we created for ideas on how to celebrate and to support the campaign. We are very happy to see celebrations for this day now springing up in London. We again urge the powers that be to consider this a perfect day for children to learn about and to celebrate our greatest genius. This is also the day for adults to read a passage or two with a meal and drink. Did you celebrate? Please leave a post and tell us how.

The British Shakespeare Company are proud to announce we will be launching a new annual Shakespeare Festival at the stunning Arundel Castle as part of the Arundel Festival. Arundel is the seat of the Duke of Norfolk and the second largest castle in England after Windsor and we believe the most beautiful. We will be performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the 28th and 29th of August in the magnificent new Collector Earl’s Garden in front of the new Oberon’s Palace. The original Oberon’s Palace was designed by Inigo Jones, one of the greatest designers in British history, for a masque at Whitehall in 1612 while Shakespeare was still alive. The new Oberon’s Palace (above) will be a truly awesome backdrop to our critically acclaimed production. All information will be released in the next few days. This will sell out very fast indeed so we urge you to book as soon as it is announced or become a festival friend to secure tickets.