William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright and is regarded by many as the greatest writer in the English language. He is famous for his plays, sonnets and poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more than any other playwright's. Shakespeare was baptised in Stratford-upon-Avon on 26 April 1564 but his actual birth date is unknown. He died on 23 April 1616, aged 52.

Shakespeare's most famous works

Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early works were comedies but his later and most famous plays are tragedies. Some of his most famous plays include Hamlet, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Othello and Macbeth. His plays remain extremely popular and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted throughout the world.

Reimagining Shakespeare's works

In an attempt to make Shakespeare more appealing to the youth of today, his plays have even been transformed into the famous Japanese 'Manga' comics. Manga Shakespeare is a series of books featuring manga illustrations for Shakespeare texts and can be used as refreshingly innovative teaching tools or just to read for pleasure.

The World Shakespeare Festival

The World Shakespeare Festival is a celebration of Shakespeare as the world's playwright. The festival is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company in collaboration with UK and international arts organisations. Thousands of artists from around the world are taking part in about 70 productions, events and exhibitions right across the UK. The festival runs for three months from 23 April, in honour of Shakespeare's death.