The play's the thing...

Sunday was William Shakespeare's birthday, and I'd been intending to blog about it, but got caught up in the events of the weekend, of which more later. But I can't let it slip by without a word.

As my own personal heroes go, Will's top of the heap, and has been for more years than I care to count, ever since I saw the film of Olivier's 'Richard III' when I was at school, and couldn't understand why others couldn't follow what was going on. That Chistmas I asked for the Complete Works and started reading the plays. I can still remember the thrill of the early stage productions that I saw. I probably wouldn't be that impressed by some of them today but then they were amazing.

This weekend the RSC* launched their Complete Works Festival, with productions of all the plays, by the RSC and by international companies, and I really have to go and see some of them. I've missed out on my Stratford trips over the last 3 years, as I've been so busy, and I need to get back there this year.

So, Happy (slightly belated) Birthday, Will - and I hope to move one step closer to my ambition of seeing all the plays on stage very soon.**

*'Let the records show' I love the RSC - I don't love all their productions, I don't necessarily love the politics of it all, but I love what it stands for - the theatrical heritage, and the fact that it's absolutely right that we should have a theatre company dedicated to our greatest poet and playright

**As it currently stands, two to go.