396

years ago, William Shakespeare died. 447 years, 362days ago, Shakespeare was born. This is what I learnt about the Bard of Avon. Of course, I have to do some complex mathematical calculations in my head each year just to keep the tally up to date which is a bit convenient. If I had learnt the year he was born and died, I would find it much easier to simply tell you these.

Just how many copies of the Collected Works of William Shakespeare does any household need? Three? One? None? Don't ask me - we seem to have at least three that I can put my hands on immediately, but as I also have them in pdf form, I suppose I could get away with zero paper editions. But then they wouldn't be there on the shelf for random visitors to admire.

Have I read the works? I can hear you ask even now.
No of course I haven't (well not all of it). I have seen a number of the plays - in the buff (so to speak). Macbeth, Pericles, Hamlet, The Tempest, Pennies from Heaven to name but a few. OK the last one was a red herring - that was a Dennis Potter and I throw that one only because today something reminded me of the time I spent in the studio gallery while Pennies was being recorded at TV Centre back in the late 70s. Bob Hoskyns was fabulous in that and we got to see parts of Cheryl Campbell that have never been revealed on Midsomer Murders! ;)