Shakespeare's Globe Celebrates St George's Day - And Shakespeare's Birthday

Shakespeare's Globe will be honouring two of England's biggest historical and cultural icons with a host of weekend events to celebrate St George's Day and Shakespeare's 446th birthday. The weekend will include the popular Sonnet Walks on Saturday 17 April as well as a free Open Day, supported by the Mayor of London's St George's Day celebrations on Sunday 18 April. The 2010 theatre season entitled Kings and Rogues will open on Friday 23 April, the day of Shakespeare's birthday.
 
On Saturday 17 April, Shakespeare's Globe, in partnership with Phoebus Cart, continues the tradition of Mark Rylance's Sonnet Walks. Walkers can buy a ticket for two tours of Tudor London: one starting in Westminster Abbey, or one from the recently rediscovered site of Shakespeare's theatre in Shoreditch. Twelve sonneteers will entertain walkers at various locations across London as they stroll to Shakespeare's Globe.
 
On Sunday 18 April, Shakespeare's Globe, with support from the Mayor of London's annual St George's day celebrations, will for the sixth year host a free Open Day. Celebrating this year's Rhythm of London theme, events will focus on the music and sounds of Shakespeare. Visitors will help create the soundscape to the witches scene in Macbeth; the wives from Shakespeare's Henry VIII will wonder the piazza exploring iconic London songs such as Oranges and Lemons, and workshops focusing on singing will be available throughout the day. The event is free to all and sees Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition and Theatre throw open its doors between 12noon and 5pm with events and activities across the site.
 
The culmination of these festivities will be the launch the 2010 theatre season, Kings and Rogues on Shakespeare's birthday - 23 April - with Shakespeare's Globe's production of Macbeth.  The season will embrace some of the playwright's most regal rogues and some of his most roguish kings.
 
Making their premiere at the new Globe will be William Shakespeare's Henry VIII and Henry IV parts 1 and 2. The season also includes a revival of the Globe's acclaimed 2008 production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Completing the 2010 programme is Anne Boleyn by Howard Brenton; Bedlam by Nell Leyshon; and two regional tours - a revival of the 2009 productions The Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night's Dream.