Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands

<div id="attachment_14865" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-14865" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-14865 size-full" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/Birthday-Mr-Shakespeare-credit-SBT-e1523285830934.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="633" />Shakespeare 445th birthday celebrations in Stratford upon Avon, 2009. Pic credit SBT</div>
This year Stratford-upon-Avon&#8217;s biggest date in the calendar has expanded to an entire weekend of fun, including the UK’s first National Living Statue Championship, Shakespeare&#8217;s Birthday Parade, an interactive kids poetry session with John Hegley and the opening of the RSC&#8217;s, Romeo and Juliet.
Living statues from the UK and around the world will perform throughout the weekend in Bancroft Gardens with the Championship winners announced on Sunday afternoon at 4 at the Bandstand on the Recreation Ground across the river. There&#8217;s a whopping £5,000 prize for the professional ‘best statue’, £500 for best amateur statue and £50 for best children’s statue.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-15116 aligncenter" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/New-Orleans-jazz-joined-Shakepeares-400th-Anniversary-Parade-in-2016-e1523915491879.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="666" />
Another new development is the Community Literary Carnival Pageant with 18 local groups dressing up as their favourite literary characters in the traditional Birthday Parade on Saturday April 21, where there&#8217;s a huge birthday cake and Mr Shakespeare. They include 50 local young people, who&#8217;ve been working with Coventry’s Positive Youth Foundation and the RSC, representing characters from Romeo and Juliet with choreography by Coventry based, Ascension Dance. More than 80 stalls, street entertainment, street food, live music and Saturday night performances by mime duo, Electri will be held at The Market Village on the Recreation Ground across the weekend.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-15115 aligncenter" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/Holding-the-Quill-Aloft-at-Shakespeares-Birthday-Parade-2016-e1523915503511.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" />
Events on Saturday April 21 kick off with Shakespeare&#8217;s Birthday Parade, 10am &#8211; 12noon, starting with a procession led by pupils at the bard&#8217;s old school, King Edward VI Grammar School and Flag Unfurling Ceremony. You can follow the colourful parade through Shakespeare’s hometown.
Full itinerary: <a href="http://www.shakespearescelebrations.com">shakespearescelebrations</a>
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS:
<div id="attachment_15114" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15114" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-15114" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/A-memorable-Mask-Moment-at-Shakespeares-Birthday-Parade-2016-1024x683-e1523915547208.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" />Memorable Mask Moment at Shakespeare&#8217;s Birthday Parade 2016</div>
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The Shakespeare Birthday Lecture with Jane Lapotaire, The Shakespeare Centre, Henley Street, Fri April 20
<div id="attachment_15123" style="width: 1010px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15123" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-15123 size-full" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/JaneLapotaire.2e16d0ba.fill-1200x600-c75-e1523954917246.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="500" />Photo credit: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust</div>
Shakespearian actress, Jane Lapotaire, 2018&#8217;s Pragnell Prize winner, will be in conversation with Dr Paul Edmondson, Head of Research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, about her career and what Shakespeare means to her, 4pm – 5pm. Tickets: £10, £9 SBT Friends, <a href="http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/">shakespeare</a>
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Free Shakespeare interactive family-friendly workshops and performances, outside Shakespeare&#8217;s Birthplace, Henley Street, all day Sat
Victorian Circus Skills workshop, balloon sculpting, hands-on percussion music workshops, traditional Morris and Renaissance dancing, and country dancing from pupils of The Willows Primary School. CV37 residents* can enjoy free entry to all five Shakespeare Family Homes and a slice of birthday cake, 9am-5pm while supplies last (*proof of address required).
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Fancy owning Josette Simon&#8217;s breastplate from Antony &amp; Cleopatra or David Tennant&#8217;s trousers worn in Hamlet ? Check out the RSC&#8217;s Stitch in Time eBay auction, Tues Apr 17 &#8211; 27
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-15131" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/Josette-Simon_s-breastplate-from-Antony-and-Cleopatra_-2017-_2017_Photo-by-Lucy-Barriball-_c_-RSC_241876-1.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/Josette-Simon_s-breastplate-from-Antony-and-Cleopatra_-2017-_2017_Photo-by-Lucy-Barriball-_c_-RSC_241876-1.jpg 5002w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/Josette-Simon_s-breastplate-from-Antony-and-Cleopatra_-2017-_2017_Photo-by-Lucy-Barriball-_c_-RSC_241876-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/Josette-Simon_s-breastplate-from-Antony-and-Cleopatra_-2017-_2017_Photo-by-Lucy-Barriball-_c_-RSC_241876-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/Josette-Simon_s-breastplate-from-Antony-and-Cleopatra_-2017-_2017_Photo-by-Lucy-Barriball-_c_-RSC_241876-1-720x480.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />
54 costume items will be auctioned to raise money for the RSC&#8217;s Stitch In Time campaign, to support the restoration and redevelopment of its Costume Workshop.  The online auction will take place over Shakespeare’s Birthday for a 10-day period between Tuesday 17 and Friday 27 April. The auction will go live at 8pm on Tues April 17 and end at 8pm on Friday 27.
<a href="http://rsc.org.uk/stitch-in-time">rsc</a>
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Free RSC activities for children aged 8+, the Demonstration Zone, The Studio Theatre The Other Place, Sat April 21
Including Blood, Guts and Gore Blood (12noon–12.45pm); Theatre Design Q&amp;A (1-1.45pm), Stage Fight Demo (2-2.45pm) &amp; Rehearsing Shakespeare (3-3.45pm). Tix will be available in person on the day from 10am at the RSC box office.  Box Office: <a href="http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=wAKY4e3aGKJIWIf6AggBiyuW59q93dHFEoSNggEP_oLaqesuw4fr5myQ2PNWCnhtQFjTVgJTTBlsZCJ7DzdhoPAc41ybS8oXZ-RXfA9MCeLC0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rsc</a>, 01789 403493.
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The RSC&#8217;s 50p Sonnet Ferry across the River Avon, Sat Apr 21, 12- 4pm
Hop onto a ferry and listen to one of the company&#8217;s actors recite Shakespeare&#8217;s sonnets.
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Knights &amp; Nymphs Children’s Garden Party, Hall’s Croft, Old Town, Sat April 21
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-15113 aligncenter" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/Halls-Croft-view-from-the-garden-©-The-Shakespeare-Birthplace-Trust-e1523915562745.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" />
Free entry to a carnival-style party in the beautiful walled garden of Hall’s Croft for face-painting, dressing up, a BBQ, lavender shortbread and fizz for grown-ups. Children can dress up as a Knight or a Nymph, 12pm – 4pm, <a href="http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/events">shakespeare</a>
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Insta artist-in-residence, <a href="https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/about-us/news-media/press-releases/carrie-reichardt-selected-shakespeare-birthplace-trusts-artist-residence-2017-18/">Carrie Reichardt</a>  as &#8216;Mrs Shakespeare&#8217;
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s artist-in-residence, <a href="https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/about-us/news-media/press-releases/carrie-reichardt-selected-shakespeare-birthplace-trusts-artist-residence-2017-18/">Carrie Reichardt</a> will also be joining in the celebrations dressed up as Mrs. Shakespeare. You can follow her journey on the Trust’s Instagram page (ShakespeareBTrust) and feel free to take a snap and tag #MrsShakespeare on social media. Mrs Shakespeare’s jaunt will be documented as part of a creative installation celebrating Women and Shakespeare this autumn.
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Join John Hegley, Aoife Mannix and Xanthe Gresham in SPIN &#8211; an interactive poetry and story-telling session for 7-11 year olds, Sat Apri 21, 5-6pm 
<div id="attachment_15121" style="width: 683px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15121" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-15121 size-full" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/confetti_1-e1523953782567.jpg" alt="" width="673" height="1000" />John Helgey &#8211; a regular sell-out at the Edinburgh Festival Photo by by Jackie di Stefano</div>
The always funny festival and Radio 4 comic poet John Hegley is a frequent performer of words, both sung and spoken, and is noted for his exploration of such diverse topics as dog hair, potatoes, handkerchiefs, and the misery of human existence.  Xanthe Gresham’s storytelling style is highly energetic and captivating.  She summons goddesses and heroes to take centre stage.  Aoife Mannix will delight you with her poems, humour and interactive style.  The event will be compered by Kenny Baraka, the energetic and charismatic lyricist and poet in a fun session is presented by Apples and Snakes, the UK’s leading promoters of performance poetry and the spoken word. Box Office: <a href="http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=wAKY4e3aGKJIWIf6AggBiyuW59q93dHFEoSNggEP_oLaqesuw4fr5myQ2PNWCnhtQFjTVgJTTBlsZCJ7DzdhoPAc41ybS8oXZ-RXfA9MCeLC0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rsc</a>, 01789 403493 
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2018&#8217;s The Shakespeare Birthday performance &#8211; Erica Whyman&#8217;s Romeo &amp; Juliet, RST, Sat April 21, 7.15pm
<div id="attachment_15119" style="width: 830px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15119" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-15119 size-full" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/0177_r-j_webimages_social_1440x1368px.tmb-img-820.jpg" alt="" width="820" height="779" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/0177_r-j_webimages_social_1440x1368px.tmb-img-820.jpg 820w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/0177_r-j_webimages_social_1440x1368px.tmb-img-820-300x285.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/0177_r-j_webimages_social_1440x1368px.tmb-img-820-768x730.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/04/0177_r-j_webimages_social_1440x1368px.tmb-img-820-526x500.jpg 526w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" />Pic credit: RSC</div>
The RSC&#8217;s big new summer production Romeo and Juliet  &#8211; with Coventry actor Bally Gill and Glasgow-born Karen Fishwick in the title roles. Expect a contemporary re-telling with insights into Generation Z and grime, Box Office: <a href="http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=wAKY4e3aGKJIWIf6AggBiyuW59q93dHFEoSNggEP_oLaqesuw4fr5myQ2PNWCnhtQFjTVgJTTBlsZCJ7DzdhoPAc41ybS8oXZ-RXfA9MCeLC0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rsc</a>, 01789 403493 
<a href="http://www.shakespearescelebrations.com">shakespearescelebrations</a>

Shakespeare’s 454th Birthday Celebrations!

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