I am currently reading Maggie O’Farrell’s tragic story Hamnet which plays with the footnote in Shakespeare’s history about  his son 11 year old son Hamnet sad death. I am really impressed by O’Farrell’s writing and her compelling narrative. It got me thinking of Shakespeare and the  extraordinary collection of his writing and how his work stills speaks to us today. It reminded me that to mark the 400th anniversary of his death in 2016, The Blunderbirds (Brian Dimmock and I) went on a cycling Shakespearean tour of Gloucestershire schools. It was a fairly anarchic performance, featuring songs and a story I wrote, as well as one performer wearing a dress (guess who!) I did write the story for the anniversary and I played around shamelessly with some of his characters and plays.

Guess what today’s quiz is on? SHAKESPEARE!!!!!!

a) Romeo and Juliet is set in which Italian city?    b) What is the name of Shakespeare’s wife? (she has a different name in Hamnet!)  c) “All the world’s a stage” is the phrase that begins a monologue in which play?  d) Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate is an adaption of which play?  e) Where is Shakespeare buried?