Southwark Cathedral
Prince Philip is to attend Southwark Cathedral on April 23 as part of nationwide celebrations of William Shakespeare’s 400th birthday.
A patron of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Prince will join other specially invited guests for an evening of worship, performances and music pieces.
2016 marks 400 years since the birth and death of England’s most famous poet, actor and playwright. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has commissioned events all over the country, such as ‘The Complete Walk’, where the Southbank will be lined with 37 screens showing Shakespearean short films in different locations (such as Cleopatra in Egypt), across Shakespeare’s birthday weekend.
Along with the RSC, Shakespeare400 is to put on several other events part of cultural and educational organisations brought together by King’s College London. The season will include performances from several corners of the arts, such as theatre and opera. A special birthday performance of Hamlet is to take place on April 23/24 as part of the Globe to Globe project, marking the end of a 2-year tour of the play to every country in the world.
Susan, a tour coordinator at the cathedral, said, “There’s going to be more information to follow regarding the celebrations, there are lots of events showcased on our website for the weeks to come. I’d look out on Friday 22nd April for the tour around Southwark, Shakespeare’s own parish, where visitors can see where his brother is buried too. We’re really excited here at the Cathedral and also at the Globe for all the special events around the borough”
Inside the Globe Theatre on the Southbank
Shakespeare, hailed by the RSC as a revolutionary writer, wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets in total. Born on April 23 1564, he died on the same day in 1616, and is dubbed England’s national poet. He moved from Stratford, Warwickshire, to Southwark in approximately 1592 where he continued to write for the rest of his life. His works have been translated into 80 languages and are performed at several different branches of the Shakespeare Globe Centres all over the world, such as in Canada and New Zealand.
