Although Shakespeare lived over 400 years ago, his works are still performed around the world, his phrases and quotes are in common usage in the English language, and his legacy very much lives on. In this section of the blog, we bring you Shakespeare news, and how Shakespeare is still impacting the world of today…
The Shakespeare Ladies Club: The Forgotten Women Who Brought Shakespeare Back to Life
When you think of Shakespeare’s survival through the centuries, chances are you picture dusty scholars in dimly lit libraries, or perhaps famous actors strutting the boards of the Globe. But … Read more
Novels Inspired by Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is one of the most influential writers in history, and his work has been adapted and reinterpreted in countless ways. Novels inspired by Shakespeare’s plays offer a unique … Read more
A Great New Book About Shakespeare’s Tragedies
Review: Shakespeare’s Tragic Art by Rhodri Lewis Lewis writes: ‘What do you do after writing something like Hamlet?’ And indeed, he suggests an answer to his own question: ‘You might … Read more
Shakespeare’s First Folio at 400 Years Old 📖🎂
As we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the popularity of its author is stronger than it has ever been, as his reputation, already at … Read more
Treading Shakespeare’s Boards in Norfolk
Some of Europe’s most popular tourist attractions feature Shakespeare in one way or another –theatres, the town where he grew up, the house where he was born, and so on … Read more
Ron de Santis Bans Shakespeare from Florida High Schools
In recent months, there has been a trend in Florida to restrict the teaching of Shakespeare in high schools. This is one of the casualties of the passage of laws … Read more
The Role of English Literature in Expanding Vocabulary and Language Proficiency
English literature is important in the worlds of language and education. From Shakespeare’s plays to modern novels, English literature has not only delighted readers for centuries, but it has also … Read more
Titus Andronicus Review, The Globe Theatre 2023
Violence? What violence? Titus Andronicus was hugely popular when it came out in 1594. Since then, until the twenty-first century, it was largely ignored, probably because its violence was too … Read more
Henry V Review, The Globe Theatre 2022
The Globe’s breathtaking Henry V. This is a very intelligent working of Shakespeare’s text. That’s the first thing to say, and the second is that Oliver Johnstone’s performance as Henry … Read more
Midsummer Mechanicals Review, The Sam Wanamaker Theatre At The Globe, 2022
If kids love a show written and staged for kids then it doesn’t matter what the grown-ups think, and while Splendid Productions’ Midsummer Mechanicals confused at least one grown up … Read more
The Tempest Review, The Globe Theatre 2022
Bravo, bravo and double bravo! This is not only one of Shakespeare’s greatest entertainments with its almost continuous music, including several songs, its magic, lots of belly-laughing comedy, including slapstick, … Read more
Hamlet Performed In Grand Theft Auto
History was made yesterday, Monday 4th July at 7.45 pm (UK time) when “the first ever full production of Hamlet inside Grand Theft Auto Online” was live-streamed on YouTube. The … Read more
King Lear Review, The Globe Theatre 2022
King Lear has been called Shakespeare’s greatest play. It has also been said that it’s impossible to make it work on the stage. Those contradictory statements may both be true. … Read more
Henry VIII Review, The Globe Theatre, June 2022
It’s easy to say, as the Globe’s publicity for this production does, that the play was written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher “in collaboration with Hannah Khalil.” But four … Read more
Julius Caesar Review, The Globe Theatre, May 2022
With a cast of only eight actors, bringing this great play, which has some of Shakespeare’s major roles and scores of minor characters, with battle-ground and civil crowd scenes, to … Read more
Much Ado About Nothing Review, The Globe Theatre, May 2022
The Globe has opened its summer season with an energetic, very funny and all-round entertaining Much Ado About Nothing. It’s a conservative treatment that pays close attention to Shakespeare’s intentions … Read more
Are You Calling Shakespeare A Thief?
A recent article in the UK’s Guardian was headlined “New evidence suggests Shakespeare may have stolen the plot of Cymbeline.” Well! Using legal language like “evidence” and “stolen,” its author … Read more
Hamlet Review, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, February 2022
The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse’s Hamlet could be termed “a play by Sean Holmes, based on an idea by William Shakespeare” for all the connection Holmes’s production has to Shakespeare’s text … Read more
Is It Time To Cancel Shakespeare?
Is it really time to cancel Shakespeare? The much-admired English actor, Juliet Stevenson, who has played many of Shakespeare’s main female protagonists, wrote an article in The Sunday Times recently, … Read more
The Tragedy of Macbeth, Joel Cohen: Review
Joel Coen’s 2021 film “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is a tale of two stories – Shakespeare’s and Coen’s – and the result is a remarkable film. If the point of … Read more
Measure For Measure, Sam Wannamaker Playhouse: Review
Measure for Measure, running until 15th January 2022 at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, has been termed a “problem play” because, while it has a comic structure … Read more
Is Film Star Anne Hathaway Really A Reincarnation Of Shakespeare’s Wife?
Here at No Sweat Shakespeare we are very busy dealing with questions and comments. They are usually to do with students’ homework and assignments. However, sometimes we get questions that … Read more
Review: ‘Doing Shakespeare’ at the Bridewell Theatre
A group of six amateur thespians in the village of Felching are putting on a Shakespeare play. In spite of having a very limited knowledge or understanding of the Bard … Read more
Chiswick Playhouse’s All Women Macbeth: Review
A group of players with nothing more than a small acting space, a few crates to be used as tables, a throne, a scaffold, and some black drapes with multiple … Read more
‘Telling Tales’: Half Term Fun at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
Shakespeare still offers the greatest fun, of any writer, for children. The Globe Theatre confirms that with its half-term attraction, Telling Tales. On a day out to the iconic theatre … Read more
Elizabethan Theatre Lives on in Today’s World
There are thousands of writers and actors all around the country who work in groups and make artistic decisions with their fellows. That’s a lot of fun. All player companies … Read more
Metamorphoses at The Globe Theatre: Review
Strong on theatre, flimsy on drama, great on storytelling This is the first test of the Globe’s new writers-in-residence, Sami Ibrahim, Laura Lomas, and Sabrina Mahfouz, three experienced young playwrights, … Read more
Twelfth Night Review, The Globe Theatre, August 2021
Sean Holmes’s production of Twelfth Night at The Globe Theatre is characterised by inventions and innovations within a faithful performance of the text, with a modern audience roaring at four … Read more
The Comedy of Errors, RSC Stratford, July 2021 Review
The Comedy of Errors is on at the RSC’s Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre until 26th September 2021. Phillip Breen’s outdoor production is a laugh-a-minute two-hour traffic in which … Read more
Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, June 2021 Review
Ola Ince’s production of Romeo and Juliet is very contemporary. Shakespeare’s friend, Ben Jonson, wrote, in the Preface to The First Folio, that Shakespeare was not of an age, but … Read more
Shit Faced Shakespeare: Macbeth, Leicester Square Theatre, June 2021
What could be better than a walk about London’s West End on a warm July evening, seeing people who have spent the past year locked down at home joyfully filling … Read more
Review of Romeo and Juliet, Regent’s Park Open Air Theater, June 2021
To be at the theatre at last, with a large audience humming with anticipation as the curtain-up time approaches, is one of the best moments among those things that are … Read more
BBC and The Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Winter’s Tale, 2021 – A Screen Adaptation
Erica Whyman’s RSC production has had a difficult birth. With its upcoming performances eagerly anticipated and tickets nigh sold out, it fell victim to the Covid pandemic just before the … Read more
Shakespeare Aesthetic Moodboards: Find Your Favorite Look!
Aesthetic moodboards have been all the rage on social media lately – especially the literary “academia” aesthetic. So, we thought, why not take those aesthetic moodboards and create some outfits … Read more
Shakespeare References To Sports & Games
When we talk to each other we make linguistic shortcuts by using metaphors, which we get from the large range of the activities that we share. One of those is … Read more
William Shakespeare New Year’s Resolutions
As we open our eyes to another new year, custom dictates we make the odd new year’s resolution to try and keep (at least until the end of January!). Here … Read more
Shakespeare’s Language
Contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare did not write in Old or Early English. Shakespeare’s language was actually Early Modern English, also known as Elizabethan English – much of which is … Read more
Top 50 Virtual Learning Resources for Shakespeare
Now that virtual learning has brought us from blackboards to Zoom calls, you might be struggling with either learning or teaching from home — especially when the topic is some … Read more
Hamlet / Lion King: Imitation or Inspired Creation?
Is The Lion King based on Hamlet? To some extent, yes, though there are a number of differences too. A word of caution, however. One cannot uproot a work of … Read more
Romeo and Juliet Songs
Ever wondered why there are so many Romeo and Juliet songs kicking around? Of all of Shakespeare’s plays, Romeo and Juliet is arguably the one that has most permeated the … Read more
What Exactly Is A ‘Flibbertigibbit’?
‘Flibbertigibbit’ is a word that has been kicked around like a soccer ball, going right back to its Medieval origins, having a slightly different meaning with almost every traceable incidence. … Read more
‘Original Pronunciation’: Understanding Shakespeare’s Pronunciation
Original pronunciation (also known as “OP” or “Shakespeare’s pronunciation”) is the concept of understanding, performing, or listening to Shakespeare’s works as they would have been spoken during Shakespeare’s time. If … Read more
Why Is Shakespeare Still So Popular In The 21st Century?
Even 400 years after his passing, Shakespeare remains relevant in the 21st century. The reach of the playwright is extensive, and people from all over the globe and all walks of … Read more
6 Tips To Better Analyze Sonnets For Your College Class
Students often have to analyze different forms of poetry for their literature and English composition classes. It is not that easy, and sonnets are among the most common objects of … Read more
Six Fun Mystery Novels Involving the Bard
If you love Shakespeare – and Shakespeare books – but are looking for something a little more modern and nail-biting to spice up your reading list, here are six mystery-style … Read more
Shakespeare Quotes On The Coronavirus Pandemic
Although he lived over 400 years ago, Shakespeare has something to say for all times, proven by the quotes from his works below that can be seen to relate directly … Read more
16 Must See Places In London for Shakespeare Fans
Whilst Stratford-upon-Avon is well known as Shakespeare’s home town, London is often overlooked as a travel destination to connect with Shakespeare – other than perhaps taking in a performance at … Read more
Guidelines for Writing A Great Hamlet Analysis Essay
To enhance the independent work of students and the development of public speaking skills, many teachers resort to such a form of knowledge control as an essay. This type of … Read more
Quoting Shakespeare Post, Bernard Levin
Although Shakespeare lived 400 years ago, his language is so ingrained in our everyday speech we’re often quoting Shakespeare without realising it. When you enter the Shakespeare Birthplace in Stratford … Read more
Stanley Wells, Shakespeare Expert
Having just been on a Shakespeare fact-finding mission in Stratford upon Avon, one name that kept on cropping up was that of Stanley Wells… so we thought we’d write a post … Read more
Shakespeare’s Stage Directions
Reading Shakespeare’s original scripts can sometimes throw up issues around understanding – not just understanding the words of the characters, but also understanding Shakespeare’s stage directions. This article explains what … Read more
Shakespeare Inspired Novel Titles
Phrases from Shakespeare’s works have inspired writers of all nationalities for 400 years. There are thousands of novels, plays, biographies, and other books that take their titles from phrases in … Read more
Shakespeare Conspiracy Theory
Did you know that there are many scholars who believe in a Shakespeare conspiracy theory stating that Shakespeare didn’t actually write the works attributed to him? This Shakespeare conspiracy theory began … Read more
Juliet’s Balcony, Verona
Shakespeare’s stories are so rooted in real life that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction – just take ‘Juliet’s balcony‘. Although Shakespeare never visited Verona and … Read more
Shakespeare In The Park
The term ‘Shakespeare in the Park’ at first applied to performances of Shakespeare’s plays at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York. It has since come to refer to … Read more
Romeo & Juliet Balcony Scene
Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet – often referred to as the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene – is a central moment in Shakespeare’s play, and one that … Read more
What Are The ‘Ides of March’ & Why Beware The ‘Ides of March’?
What Is The Ides of March? The ‘ides’ was the day each month in the Roman calendar when the moon was full. The ides fell on the 15th day of … Read more
50 Shakespeare Words That Have Evolved To Mean Something Very Different
The English language is changing all the time, or perhaps it is better to say it is developing. At any rate, it is moving. If you were to come back … Read more
Happy Birthday, William Shakespeare!
William Shakespeare turns 456 on 23rd of April 2020. His birthday is celebrated in thousands of places around the world every year. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, along with the other … Read more
Misquoting Shakespeare!
There’s little doubt that Shakespeare is the greatest English writer to have lived, and has of course provided the world with all manner of fantastic quotes. So it should come … Read more
Which Shakesepare Play To See? The Ultimate Infographic
Fancy taking in a Shakespeare play but not sure which one to go for? Fear not! Artist Mya Gosling at Good Tickle Brain, has put together this fantastic flow chart- … Read more
10 Tips To Improve Your Essay Writing
When I first had to write an essay, I didn’t know what I was doing at all. It was all mixed up and somewhat uninteresting to read. Plus, I would … Read more
Shakespeare Wades Into The UK EU Referendum Debate…
…according to the Daily Mail. Great piece from A.N. Wilson looking at Shakespeare’s take on Europe – and vice versa – in response to two polititians trading Shakespeare quotes in … Read more
Shakespeare Lost & Found: Double Falsehood
The eighteenth century theatre impresario, playwright and Shakespeare scholar, Lewis Theobald, staged a performance of a play titled Double Falsehood at the Drury Lane Theatre on December 13, 1727. Theobald … Read more
“Exit, Pursued By A Bear”
‘Exit, Pursued By A Bear’ is generally considered to be the most famous of Shakespeare’s stage directions – leading up to the off stage death of Antigonus in The Winter’s Tale. And … Read more
Club di Giulietta: Shakespeare’s Juliet Alive & Well In Verona
One of the more curious, non-dangerous, aspects of human nature is our difficulty in distinguishing between fantasy and reality. Indeed, many of the things that we call ‘real’ don’t exist … Read more
Should You Study Shakespeare for Better English?
Shakespeare is regarded as one of the most well-known writers in history. His words resonate with everyone from teenagers reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream to lifetime fans who see his … Read more
Did Shakespeare Take Drugs?
Did Shakespeare take drugs? In 2001 analysis of pipe fragments from William Shakespeare’s house showed traces of cannabis, cocaine, and hallucinogenic nutmeg extracts. It’s not known whether Shakespeare himself partook … Read more
Shakespeare Baby Names For Girls
Looking for some inspiration from Shakespeare for baby names for girls? Shakespeare used 75 women’s names in his 37 plays, naming queens, jesters, heroines, and warriors… so something for every personality … Read more
Shakespeare Baby Names For Boys
Looking for some inspiration from Shakespeare for baby names for boys? Shakespeare used 125 men’s names in his 35 plays, naming kings, jesters, heroes, and warriors… so something for every … Read more
Review of Julian Fellowes’ Romeo & Juliet 2013
Watch the official trailer for Julian Fellowes’ Romeo & Juliet:http://youtu.be/IXgFU8JdIHs If you were writing a film script for Romeo and Juliet there would be a great number of things you … Read more
Shakespeare in Tofflerland – To App Or Not To App
Shakespeare lived and wrote his plays in the era that the American futurologist, Alvin Toffler, dubbed ‘the first wave.’ That was the agrarian period between the hunter-gatherer era and the … Read more
Who Wrote Shakespeare? The Authorship Candidates
The conspiracy that Shakespeare didn’t write his plays exists in some circles, which leads to the question of who wrote Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets? We address the William Shakespeare authorship controversy … Read more
All The Best Shakespeare Memes
We’ve been trawling the internet of late for some comedy takes on Shakespeare to share on the NoSweatShakespeare facebook page, and have stumbled across an ever-growing number of Shakespeare memes. … Read more
Is It Hip Hop Or Shakespeare?
It’s Shakespeare vs hip hop! A quick pop quiz for you – do you think the quotes below are words from a hip hop track or Shakespeare play? Answers are … Read more
Learning Shakespeare
I recently came across a story I wrote some time ago: it was in an anthology of short stories intended for study by GCSE English students in the UK. It … Read more
Shakespeare Tube Map
Wow, how did we miss this one the first time around? Apparently, the Royal Shakespeare Company had this version of the London Underground map made up many years ago, showing … Read more
Things We Say Today Which We Owe To Shakespeare
Looking something like a serial killer’s notebook, a 20-year-old London girl’s Shakespeare-related scribbles have gone viral this week. Simply writing a bunch of words and phrases Shakespeare invented (admittedly in … Read more
Nudity in Shakespeare
I read an article recently about a literature reading in Greenwich, New York, by a group going by the name of ‘Naked Girls Reading.’ The women come onstage in kimonos, … Read more
The Shakespeare Brand in the World of Commerce
There was a famous commercial on British television before the advertising of tobacco was banned in the UK media. The clip showed a decapitated Sir Francis Drake in gorgeous Elizabethan … Read more
The Curse of Macbeth, The Scottish Play
Why is Macbeth known as ‘the Scottish play’? If you’re ever involved in a production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth you should be very careful, and take precautions as there’s a curse … Read more
Shakespeare and the King James Bible
In the year in which the English-speaking world is celebrating the four hundredth year of the King James Authorised bible, it’s interesting to reflect on what a period from 1604, … Read more
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Authorship Debate | Historic Shakespeare | Random Fun Stuff | Shakespeare Today | Shakespeare’s Works
