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Simon Russell Beale on Shakespeare theGUIDE SPRING 2016 A GUIDE TO BRITAIN FROM BRITAIN’S BEST GUIDES THE REAL BEALE ACTOR SIMON RUSSELL BEALE ON SHAKESPEARE THE STORY OF BRITISH THEATRE • OSCAR WILDE IN LONDON • THE RUINED ABBEYS OF YORKSHIRE • LEGENDS, LIES AND LORE Contents 4News Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary; 150 years of London’s Blue Plaques; pioneering photography; Queen Victoria’s romantic intrigue 8 Interview Actor Simon Russell Beale on the challenges of playing Shakespeare 14 Legends, Lies and Lore Philippa Owen, Chair to the British Guild of Tourist Guides Fact and fiction from British history A WARM WELCOME 16 Play On Comedy, tragedy and fighting in the stalls – Marc Zakian TO ‘THE GUIDE’... looks at the history of British theatre Welcome to the Spring issue of The Guide. This issue is dedicated to theatre, as this year the whole country will be marking the 400th 26 Tour de Force anniversary since William Shakespeare’s death. Two Blue Badge guides tell us about their tours: Oscar Stratford-upon-Avon, where he died on April Wilde’s life in London and the abbeys of North Yorkshire 23 – his presumed birthday – will be marking his passing in a series of events that include a new exhibition at New Place – his final home. 34 My Favourite… I find it ironic that in the 18th century New Blue Badge Guides on engine houses, skate nights and Place’s owner deliberately pulled down the house a classic view of Cambridge that once belonged to Shakespeare, his irritation being with too many tourists wanting to see and touch the mulberry tree said to have been planted by the great man himself. As exciting as anything in this commemorative year will be the opening to visitors of young Shakespeare’s schoolroom and Guildhall. Drawing on the Classics and Rhetoric he studied there, our English language has been enriched and stretched beyond all measure. The great actor Simon Russell Beale will be playing Prospero this November in the RSC’s production of The Tempest in the ‘Shakespeare 400’ 4 8 season. In an interview with Sophie Campbell, he tells us about his preparation for the role and his fascination for the Bard. We explore the wider aspects of British drama with stories of our great actors and writers, as well as notable productions that have established our world-class theatre culture. All this is uncovered in Marc Zakian’s article on the history of stage. In this issue, Blue Badge guide, David Thompson takes you on a walk with Oscar Wilde, 16 30 now acknowledged as one of our most loved playwrights. Wilde’s memorial was only added to Editor: Marc Zakian Design and print: the beautiful east-facing window of the South E: [email protected] MYPEC T: +44 113 257 9646 Transept of Westminster Abbey in the 1990s, long Editorial Assistance: Mark King W: www.mypec.co.uk after his death. Publisher: Display advertising: Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey is a British Guild of Tourist Guides ©2016 Blueprint Travel Media T: +44 1743 23 11 35 Valhalla for many of our greatest writers and a few who were great once but now long forgotten. This magazine is produced by the British Guild of Tourist Guides – the national The Dean of Westminster Abbey chooses who association for Blue Badge Guides (the highest guiding qualification in Britain.) should be honoured and that in itself gives a Email: [email protected] • www.britainsbestguides.org fascinating insight into taste and fashions. And talking of fine religious buildings, just in time for Spring, guide Sarah Cowling takes us on ISSN: 2053-0439 ISSN: a visit to Yorkshire’s ruined monasteries, a stunning historic landscape I urge you to visit. If you have been inspired by our magazine, I ENGLAND LONDON WALES NORTHERN SCOTLAND GREEN BADGE IRELAND hope you will book a Blue Badge tourist guide to take you on one of the tours you’ve read about. 3 NEWS History, Culture and Events New Place Yo u r Bard This year marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare in Stratford. Shakespeare’s death. Stratford-upon-Avon – The site of New Place – Shakespeare’s the town where he was born, schooled, died Stratford home that was demolished in 1759 and is buried – is celebrating the writer with by irascible clergyman Francis Gastrell – is a series of projects. being re-displayed for the anniversary. The In April, the Schoolroom and Guildhall foundations of the kitchens and cellars will will open. The 15th century Guildhall has be on view for the first time and the sunken been restored with a lottery grant, providing Knot Garden will be restored to the original Henrietta Ferguson, Blue Badge Guide public access to the schoolroom where design alongside the Great Garden. Opening young William learned to read and write. in June, this attraction features a dynamic BLUE BADGE An exhibition will detail Tudor school life, new exhibition that follows Shakespeare’s evoking the writer’s own image of the life in his Stratford home. TOURIST GUIDES schoolboy ‘creeping like a snail unwillingly For a Blue Badge Shakespeare Blue Badge Tourist Guides are the official, to school’. The public opening provides tour in Stratford visit: professional tourist guides of the United the missing link in the story of William www.britainsbestguides.org Kingdom – recognised by the local tourist bodies and VisitBritain. The Blue Badge is the UK’s highest guiding qualification, awarded only after extensive training and thorough examination. There are over 1000 Blue Badge Guides in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – each region has its own badge. We guide in all the UK’s major tourist attractions, as well as its cities and countryside. The Blue Badge is the qualification of excellence in heritage guiding. In 2014 Guild guides worked with over Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall 1.5 million UK visitors A PICTURE OF THE PAST London’s Science Museum is telling the The British Guild of Tourist Guides story of William Henry Fox Talbot, a pioneer is the national association of Britain’s Blue of photography. The exhibition charts the life Badge guides. Since its foundation in 1950, of the man who, during the 1830s, created the Guild has dedicated itself to raising the first working photographic negative, as and maintaining the highest professional well as inventing the science of developing standards. and printing images. Our guides work in the UK’s museums, By drawing on one of the world’s most galleries, churches and lead walking, comprehensive and important collections of cycling and driver-guided tours throughout Talbot’s work, this exhibition tells the story of the country. Our members work in over how photography was born and how it 30 different languages. If it can be guided, changed the way we see the world. we will guide it. Fox Talbot: Dawn of the Photograph at the Science Museum from April 20 to September To find out more or to book: Fox Talbot, 1846 11. You can also visit his family home and +44 207 403 1115 [email protected] © National Media Museum, Bradford museum at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire. www.britainsbestguides.org 4 from around the UK A Sign of the Times This year marks the 150th anniversary of London’s Blue Plaque scheme. In 1866 the Royal Society of Arts started to place commemorative plaques on buildings across ITV’S YOUNG VIC the capital. The roundels are now part of the urban landscape, highlighting famous but A national broadcaster is filming an newly opened Yorkshire Studios. Exterior unlikely neighbours: Jimi Hendrix lived next ambitious eight-part drama following the locations include the grand 18th century door to GF Handel (separated by one wall early life of Queen Victoria. The series stately home, Castle Howard and the and three centuries) while George Bernard follows the monarch from her accession to minster school yard in York. Shaw and Virginia Woolf both lived at the the throne aged 18, through to her The series will air later this year on ITV, same address a few years apart. courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. opening with a 90-minute special and The oldest surviving plaque dates from Jenna Coleman, best known for her followed by seven one-hour episodes. 1867, commemorating Emperor Napoleon starring role in Dr Who, takes the part of Based on the diaries Victoria kept as a III on his former residence in King Street, Victoria. The early episodes explore the teenager, according to producers it will Westminster. The oldest plaque to a woman queen’s relationship with the raffish Prime ‘explore the scandal, corruption and is for writer Fanny Burney, whose 1885 Minister, Lord Melbourne (played by Rufus romantic intrigue, involving everyone from plaque is at 11 Bolton Street, Mayfair. There Sewell). Their close relationship became a the humblest dresser to the Mistress of the are now more than 800 commemorations popular source of gossip that threatened to Robes, the lowliest bootboy to the Lord across the capital. destabilise the Government. Chamberlain’. ITV are hoping that it will be It is the first drama to be filmed in the the popular successor to Downton Abbey. English Heritage took over the running of the London Blue Plaque scheme in 1986. There was a pause in 2013 due to government cuts, but now the scheme survives thanks to donations. Nominations for recognition come from members of the public. English Heritage is marking the anniversary with a series of events on May 7 and 8. Tour London’s Blue Plaques with a Blue Badge Guide: www.britainsbestguides.org Castle Howard 5 News Costume Drama Seventh-generation family boss, Tim Angel At this year’s BAFTA ceremony, the professional costume house in the Frankenstein he couldn’t do a fitting, award for Outstanding British world.
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