We are looking for an unpaid intern to work one or two days a week in our London office. You will work directly with Robert J. Williamson on all aspects of our forthcoming tour from helping with mail outs to liaising with agents for casting. This will help to cut some costs for the company in the current climate and will offer a great opportunity to learn about all aspects of Shakespearian theatre production. Please apply to robert@britishshakespeare.com

We are busy with plans for our 2009 season which will include an indoor show in London as well as a full tour. So please keep visiting for details or add your email to our mailing list on the home page. We only email a couple of times a year and do not share your information with anyone else.

I would again like to thank all those that have supported us in 2008 especially Chris Hopkins at Design Forte for his brilliant web, leaflet, programme design and photography for the company. We hope those reading this will support those that support our company and you could not find a better service anywhere.

As we plan our next season and perhaps you can help. Do you know a venue that you believe we should approach? Do you know a company that might be interested in our corporate packages as any profit from these will be used to provide our tour. Then please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you believe you can offer services, support, sponsorship, would like to become a festival friend or have any other suggestions to help keep our company producing the very best open air Shakespeare then please contact me robert@britishshakespeare.com

Thank you all,

Robert J. Williamson

It is traditional to bring in the New Year with this great Scottish poem written by Robert Burns in 1788. Below we have given you the full English translatation but retained the Scots phrase “Auld langs syne” which literally translates as “old long since”, or more idiomatically, “days gone by”. Do print it off so even after a wee dram or five you will still know all the words.

Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind ?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ lang syne ?

CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
And surely I’ll buy mine !
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Harold Pinter, CBE, the leading playwrite of his generation died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He was a poet, actor, director, dramatist, screenwriter, humanitarian and 2005 winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. I was fortunate enough to see him perform his work on stage but never had the opportunity to meet this truly great man. His work influenced the entire world and will live on as long as the human spirit does. There is little more to say.

There has been much in the media that the current excellent RSC production of Hamlet starring David Tennant and Patrick Stewart is for the first time using a real human skull donated to the RSC. The British Shakespeare Company first used a real human skull for the role of Yorick in Robert J. Williamson’s self directed Hamlet in 1999 on a national tour as pictured. The production was revived in 2003 with BAFTA nominatees Emily Lloyd (Ophelia) and Richard Briers (voicing the ghost of Hamlet’s father) with Sarah Douglas playing Gertrude. The production transfered to London’s West End at the Holland Park Theatre. If only all our actors were as easy to direct as Yorick - joke!

UPDATE - RSC is no longer using the human skull “as it will be too distracting for the audience”.