The Royal Shakespeare Company is asking people to celebrate Shakespeare despite closed theatres – with pets and even emojis.
Backed by David Tennant, it is planning the “largest ever celebration of Shakespeare by audiences in its history”.
People around the world are being asked “to share their love of Shakespeare in whatever way they choose”.
Suggestions include “shouting” a Shakespeare speech “over the fence to your neighbours (two metres apart),” recreating the Romeo And Juliet balcony scene with vegetables, getting “your pets involved” or telling a Shakespeare story in emojis.
Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) artistic director Gregory Doran said: “As a global pandemic cuts us off from one another … we need stories now, more than ever before.
“They help to make sense of the world around us and to bring us together, and who better to articulate our collective hopes, anxieties, fears and joys than William Shakespeare.
Perform a speech, paint a picture or bake a cake – there are lots of ways to get involved and #ShareYourShakespeare with us.
Get inspired at: https://t.co/isoiRKw0Yc pic.twitter.com/nM7OqO4PK6
— The RSC (@TheRSC) April 15, 2020
“His words, speeches and stories speak to us all in different ways whilst, at the same time, uniting us across borders, languages and cultures.”
The best contributions will be unveiled on April 23, thought to be the anniversary of the Bard’s birth, through a Shakespeare performance “delivered by and for the global community” online.
Creations can be uploaded to Instagram, Twitter or YouTube by tagging @theRSC and using the hashtag #ShareYourShakespeare.