Happy Birthday Shakespeare!

Paul Wright Jewellery joined other people, from all over the world, in marking the Bard’s birthday this weekend as Stratford-upon-Avon embarked on one of the largest festivals it has ever undertaken.

Sir Donald Sinden opens the Bancroft Gardens

The Shakespearian actor, Sir Donald Sinden (featured above), was invited to open the newly refurbished Bancroft Gardens by unveiling a commemorative plaque and tourist information point on the Theatre Promenade. Sir Donald is an English actor of stage and screen, who has remained enormously popular with audiences since his days as a film star in the 1950s. He was spoofed mercilessly on the TV show 'Spitting Image' for his stage-actorly delivery and fruity voice. I recall his 'spitting image' puppet, sitting in a restaurant, summoning a waiter and asking "Do you serve a ham salad?" the waiter replied, "Yes, we serve salad to anyone!"

Cllr Les Topham, leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council said: “I think the Bancroft has been reborn as a result of this work. It will be the perfect companion and complement for the theatre and other improvements that will be made to this area of the town over the next 12 months".

The weekend saw "all singing and all dancing” celebrations in Stratford-upon-Avon and the focus on Saturday was the customary carnival-style town procession from Shakespeare's birthplace to Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was buried. People from all over the world attended, many in national or period costume, to participate in the walk which symbolises Shakespeare's journey from cradle to grave.

"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of
infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath borne me on his back a thousand
times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims atit. Here
hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now?
your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment,that were wont to set the
table on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own grinning? quite chap-fallen? Now
get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, lether paint an inch thick, to this
favour she must come; make her laugh at that."