By me, William Shakespeare: A Life in Writing

Brilliant exhibition at Kings College London at Somerset House organised by the National Archives and featuring nine original documents looking at Shakespeare’s life in London.

The show is only small but it is very well presented with the documents in side rooms organised into four themes. They are explained well without overwhelming you with information. If you want to see the full transcript the attendants in each room have copies. I loved the AV display at the end recapping the exhibition using a map of London and some good animations.

The first document is a bill of complaint of how company stole a theatre in Shoreditch and moved it to Southwark, rebuilding it as the Globe. Another room looked at documents concerning the performance of Richard II staged on the Eve of the Essex Rebellion at the instigation of the rebels. I love the fact that the actors wanted 40 shillings more because they said the play was old fashioned or maybe because they knew the performance might land them in trouble.

Most moving was to realise that the company, as the King’s Men performed at the original Somerset House, to see these documents on a site where plays were performed was wonderful.  A great first event for this 400th anniversary!

Closes on 29 May 2016.

Review
Evening Standard


 

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