Ben Crystal author of 'Shakespeare on Toast' reveals his top tips for first-time actors.
Our Shakespeare language guide helps you get to grips with the Bard's use of language and explains the techniques and conventions he used.
With summer just around the corner, I thought it prudent to bring together some resources on A Midsummer Night's Dream.
In the quick-growing Midsummer student guide there are all sorts of new goodies from character analysis on Lysander, Hermia, Helena and Demetrius, Theseus and Hippolyta, Oberon and Titania.
There is also a plot overview and detailed scene analysis of Act 5 (parts 1 and 2)
Easter is once again upon us - which means that the Shakespeare birthday celebrations will soon follow.
Shakespeare was born and died on 23 April - and over 400 years on, we are still celebrating his birthday with lavish events around the world. Start preparing for the day over Easter by dipping into our Top 5 Ways to Celebrate Shakespeare's Birthday.
Also, the original text to Act 4 of King Lear is now online, including Scenes 3, 4, 5, 6 (parts 1, 2, 3 and 4) and 7.
Happy Easter!
If there is one Shakespeare play that sticks in my mind, it's A Midsummer Night's Dream ... I think because it is so visual.
Fairies in the wood and the head of an ass stuck on a poor fool - no other play can match this in terms of iconic visuals.
Perhaps the infamous eye gouging scene from King Lear, or Juliet on the balcony are the only close contenders?
So, this month I have turned my attention to building the study guide for A Midsummer Night's Dream, as follows:
Some 400 years ago, Shakespeare was "king pin" in Shoreditch - London's theatre central in Shakespeare's day.
Finally, it looks like the drama may return to some of Shakespeare's venues: The Curtain and The Theatre.
The sites of these two Jacobean theatres are seeking to become theatres once again and now have planning permissions in place.
The Theatre was the original Globe Theatre and was the home of Richard Burbage's The Lord Chamberlain's Men. It was dismantled and reconstructed across the River Thames after a dispute with the landowner got out of hand!
The Curtain was discovered last year and can also be traced to the Lord Chamberlain's Men. It is hoped this venue will reopen as an open-air amphitheatre.
