Today is not only World Book Day, but it is also the famous playwright, William Shakespeare’s birthday. And we may be unable to go outside but their are ways you can celebrate the Bard in the comfort of your home!
Folger Shakespeare Library launched Shakespeare’s Birthday at Home, a virtual birthday celebration and a collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company and with us, the lovers of Shakespeare. By using the hashtag #ShareYourShakespeare, Folger is asking by sharing various activities involving Shakespeare: write your own sonnet, hold your own Shakespeare party, take a picture as your favorite Shakespearean character, recite your favorite line or speech from one of the plays, etc. They will also be hosting a list of virtual events,including a Facebook watch party of the Folger Theater and Two River Theater production of Macbeth.
Folger Shakespeare and their publishing partner, Simon and Schuster, has also made seven Shakespeare plays available for free audio streaming until July 1, 2020, available on their website.
The same as the Folger Library, the Royal Shakespeare Company created a website where there are an abundance of resources that will keep you and your family entertained during this quarantine. The RSC also has a Shakespeare at Home page which has collaborative activities that the public can do, including a The Winter’s Tale Activity Pack, where a child can create their own bear.
And for UK residents, the BBC partnered with the RSC to bring their recent productions to BBC iPlayer between now and September, as part of their Culture in Quarantine initiative.
Reading the Bard
Apart from finding Shakespeare’s writings on Project Gutenberg, there are so many adaptations of his works that make it more innovative and fun to read his works. I particularly love the Manga Classics series so I urge you to check those out!
- Manga Classics: Macbeth
- Manga Classics: Romeo & Juliet
- Manga Classics: A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream
- Manga Classics: Hamlet
- The Merchant of Venice by Gareth Hinds
- King Lear by Gareth Hinds
- Romeo & Juliet by Gareth Hinds
Discover more from cup of tea with that book, please
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Ahhh, I forgot about this, thank you. At school, my classmates hated Shakespeare but i LOVED his writings.