Now, I know this isn't exactly news, but Shakespeare is officially Britain's Greatest National Treasure! The Bard beat Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Fish and Chips to first place in a poll of 1000 adults.

I often forget how proud the British public are of Shakespeare. We have a strange relationship with the Bard: one moment we're mocking him in school and the next we're voting him to the top of polls and quoting him on the London Underground.

Perhaps we actually fear Shakespeare as a nation ... just a little bit! To the uninitiated, the academia that has built up around his writing can seem impenetrable creating a sense of reverence and fear.

But deep down, we all know he's a particularly British creation and we should be proud of "Our Will!"

Photo © Phillip Dvorak / Getty Images

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been to Shakespeare in the Park – but I’ve long been aware of its strong reputation across Europe.

Shakespeare in the Park has been organized by The Public Theater for over 50 years and has entertained over 100,000 people with its free summer productions in Central Park, New York.

This year, The Public Theater are presenting Twelfth Night starring Oscar nominee Anne Hathaway – and the production is already receiving favorable reviews.

The production runs until 12 July and is a must for all Shakespeare enthusiasts. So, be sure to pick up your free ticket if you’re in the area. Heather Cross, About.com’s guide to New York can give you advice on getting your hands on a ticket.

I’d love to hear from some New York residents and discover how important this event is in the city. Does it create a buzz? How has Shakespeare in the Park affected you over the years?

As regular readers of this blog will know, I believe that too many people have made assumptions about Shakespeare’s work without ever really being exposed to it - something I regularly bemoan.

I was therefore delighted to read that London Underground will be issuing Shakespeare quotes over the tannoy system in their stations to enrich the humdrum commuting experience of its 3.5 million daily riders.

Tube drivers on the Piccadilly line have been issued with a booklet of quotations entitled What Is The City But Its People by Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller. Shakespeare’s words (along with quotations from other literary giants) will now echo through the tunnels of London Underground and replace monotonous announcements like “mind the gap” and “stand behind the yellow line”.

Now, I’m sure that this isn’t going to create an army of 3.5 million Shakespeare fans overnight, but it will increase the Bard exposure of the general public – which can only be a good thing.

If you travel on the London Underground and hear a Shakespeare quote on your journey, I’d love to hear from you. How did it affect your journey? Could you identify the play?

Last Friday, James Cottriall won the Austrian version of Pop Idol, a TV talent show. As it turns out, Cottriall was educated at King Edward VI School in Stratford-upon-Avon – more commonly known as Shakespeare’s School.

Immediately the mind start racing … educated in the same place as Shakespeare … now living in Vienna … where Measure for Measure is set … I’ve already started imaging Cottriall as a kind of Lucio-type character – the “fantastic” flamboyant bachelor from Measure for Measure.

If you would like to see Lucio in person – oops! Sorry, I mean Cottriall – then visit The Terrace Bar in Stratford-upon-Avon on Friday 3 July where he’ll be playing a special homecoming concert.

My favorite Shakespeare play is set to receive a makeover later this year. The plotline of Macbeth will be recast into a modern-day thriller by Vantage Point director Pete Travis.

Regardless how you feel about modern film adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, this project has the potential to make an important contribution. Already the screenplay has been co-written by two Harvard literature scholars, Jennifer Lee Carrell and Nick Saunders, providing an academic seal of approval.

The final film, entitled Come Like Shadows, has been described by Travis as “a powerful, tragic morality tale about personal and political corruption. An awesome, epic story for our troubled times, its irresistible tension holds the audience in a vice like grip, its raw emotion will break their hearts.”

A great description of Macbeth, if ever I heard one!

How do you feel about modern film adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays? Do they improve or distort the public’s appreciation of the Bard?

Photo of Pete Travis © Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

This week’s story about meeting Shakespeare has reminded me of a classic TV moment. Blackadder Back and Forth was broadcast back in 1999 and marked an end to the BBC’s popular comedy series.

Blackadder travels back in time and accidentally meets Shakespeare in a corridor. Upon realising who he is, Blackadder punches the Bard and says, “That’s for every schoolboy and schoolgirl for the next 400 years. Have you any idea how much suffering you're going to cause?”

At that moment, hundreds of thousands of school children cheered in unison around the UK. So, while we’re dreaming up questions to ask Shakespeare if we had the chance, don’t forget that many other may be queuing up to do him harm.

Funny? You can decide for yourself by watching the clip on YouTube.

On Sunday I reported that Shakespeare featured in a list of celebrities that people would most like to bring back from the dead and meet. This fun little story has since got me thinking …

Let’s say it was possible! Let’s say we could bring Shakespeare back and we get the opportunity to ask him one question. What would it be? After mulling it over I’ve reached a question I can stick with:

“Mr. Shakespeare. Are you surprised by the cultural impact of your writing 400 years after your death?”

Sure, Shakespeare was famous in his own lifetime, but I wonder if he had an inkling of his long-term importance. I’d also love to quiz him about Anne Hathaway, writing Hamlet and watch his reaction when I force him to watch Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet!

What would you ask if you had such an opportunity? Obviously, we’d all like to talk with him into the early hours – but you’ve got one question! What’s it going to be?

Which celebrity would most like to bring back from the dead and meet? Well, according to a British survey last week, Shakespeare ranked third, beaten only by Jesus and Princess Diana!

This fun little survey does reveal something very serious: Shakespeare’s importance in today’s culture … and I think that he was probably cheated out of second place! Shakespeare is a long-term candidate, whereas I suspect the Princess Diana vote is likely to wane over time. Jesus on the other hand poses serious competition.

With a quarter of the votes, Shakespeare beats Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Elvis Presley and Martin Luther King.

However, the result doesn’t surprise me. Shakespeare’s influence on our language and culture is undeniable and I think he deserves a high ranking.

Photo © NYPL Digital Gallery

Summer is finally upon us and some of you may well be making the Shakespeare pilgrimage to Stratford-upon-Avon. As the tourist numbers swell and the main attractions become busy, I’ve been seeking out some of the town’s less-well-known Shakespeare attractions.

This week I stumbled across a treasure trove for any art-loving Shakespeare enthusiast. Tucked away on Sheep Street is the Shakespeare in Art Gallery. Few people know that it’s there, but if you dare squeeze up the alleyway off Sheep Street to the older buildings behind, a real treat awaits you.

The gallery displays and sells original artworks celebrating the work and life of Shakespeare. If you want to purchase your own copy of the Cobbe Portrait, a scene from your favorite play or just get the kids dressed up in renaissance costume, then this is the place to come.

If you’re visiting Stratford-upon-Avon this summer, be sure to drop into this friendly and welcoming gallery – and if you’re on a whistle stop tour or traveling on a budget, the first floor windows offer free views of Shakespeare’s Garden behind. Enjoy!

Over the weekend, I was invited to an art exhibition in Stratford-upon-Avon in which my friend was showing work. To my surprise, I found his paintings hanging in Shakespeare’s classroom.

Shakespeare’s classroom is one of those difficult to see historical attractions in Stratford-upon-Avon because the room is on the first floor of a working grammar school. As I understand it, the room at King Edward VI School is actually still used for teaching – impractical as that may be with its ancient wooden desks deeply engraved with the names of past students.

My friend’s paintings were hanging next to the foreboding teacher’s chair – a huge wooden structure at the front of the class that would have elevated Shakespeare’s teacher above his students.

It’s a supposition that Shakespeare was actually educated in this room. Many believe that Shakespeare would have been entitled to a free place at the school because his father, John Shakespeare, was a town official.

Either way, the room has been beautifully preserved and is an important part of Stratford-upon-Avon’s rich heritage.