MUST DO: Shakespeare in Ten Acts (…and Punk)

An admirably populist attempt to underline how omnipresent Shakespeare is – and has been for centuries – in our cultural lives, the British Library’s big new summer exhibition follows the ups and downs of the bard’s reputation throughout history.

Including backstage gossip, scandal and myths, it’s divided into specific ‘acts’ to mark 400 years since the playwright’s death, and considers the roles of women, black actors, gay revisions, unusual interpretations – and, significantly, the coming of film – in productions.

The simple delights are the most exquisite: marvel, for example, at Shakespeare’s handwriting, the first ever folio of his plays, the earliest printed edition of Hamlet from 1603 (one of only two copies in the world), and even a petition against the opening of Blackfriars playhouse in 1633 by locals concerned about “vagrant and lewd persons” upsetting the peace.

There are handy summaries of key tragedies and comedies, which add to the usefulness of the show for even the most bardphobic beginner, and its rooms are paced carefully: enjoyable installations include an interactive swing you can sit on (for A Midsummer’s Night Dream), projection screens (don’t miss the brilliant scene from the 2012 production of Twelth Night with Stephen Fry and Mark Rylance) and costumes worn by movie icons like Vivienne Leigh. 

Open daily at British Library. Tickets £12, until 6 Sept. More info on times here