Shakespeare

23 April 2014 marked the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth. The V&A celebrated the birthday of the world’s most famous playwright with a range of special events and activities across the Museum. Highlights included a display in the Theatre and Performance Galleries, a Shakespeare Trail across the Museum, a book celebrating Shakespeare-related objects in the Museum’s collections, and a special Shakespeare Festival which ran from 21 April – 4 May 2014.

William Shakespeare was born 450 years ago on 23 April 1564. And what better way to celebrate the Bard’s big day than with a fabulous birthday cake? We would like you to design, make and decorate a cake inspired by Shakespeare

In Shakespeare’s Shoes: A Poetry Challenge for Young Writers

As part of the 2014 Shakespeare Festival, the V&A teamed up with the Poetry Society Young Writers’ Network, to set young writers a poetic challenge inspired by some of Shakespeare’s major characters.

Elizabethan Theatre

In the late 16th century all classes of society (apart from royalty) visited the public theatres. The new theatres were popular and their audiences had a voracious appetite for new plays. New companies flourished and writers were employed to satisfy the demand for novelty.

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