London SE1 > News & Features > April 2000

Shakespeare's Birthday

As well as being Easter Day and St George's Day, Sunday 23 April will also be William Shakespeare's 436th birthday. As you would expect, Shakespeare's Globe has a programme of events to mark the occasion.

This year's Spearshaker Talk - entitled Exile, Eloquence and Hungry Ghosts - on Wednesday 19 April at Middle Temple Hall (7pm, £14) will introduce themes from the 2000 theatre season, focusing on storytelling and play in society, eloquence as a healing force, disenfranchised peoples and exile from the self, ghosts, spirits and the role of shamen. There will also be contributions from the Globe Theatre company based on their work in progress rehearsing The Tempest and Hamlet.

Led by the Globe's Artistic Director Mark Rylance, Sonnet Walks are an established part of the programme for Shakespeare's birthday celebrations. Walkers are taken on a tour of Shakespearian surprises through Tudor London from Westminster Abbey to Shakespeare's Globe. On Saturday 15 April walks depart every 15 minutes 10am-12.45pm, on Sunday 23 April walks depart every 15 minutes 11.30am-2.15pm. Tickets are £15 (conc £12).

www.shakespeares-globe.org