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Playing Shakespeare: 400 years of great acting

Special announcement
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  • Treasures

Items from our theatre and Shakespeare collections were on show to mark 400 years since the death of William Shakespeare. From 17 March until 12 June 2016.

 

A toy theatre with 'Hamlet' stage set
Toy theatre, recreating
Olivier's 'Hamlet', 1948

A starry cast of some of the most famous Shakespearean actors of the last four centuries were brought together in the National Library of Scotland's Shakespeare treasures display.

'Playing Shakespeare' focused on the actors who brought William Shakespeare's immortal characters to life, including:

  • Richard Burbage
  • Benedich Cumberbatch
  • Judi Dench
  • Clara Fisher
  • Vivien Leigh
  • Will Kemp
  • Maggie Smith.

Items about many past productions were on show, from early Globe theatre plays to present-day live screenings in front of vast audiences around the world.

 

Great Shakespearean actors

Among the actors featured in our display were:

Detail from a portrait of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare
(1564-1616)

Shakespeare may have acted in his own plays, along with those written by others.
Read more about William Shakespeare

 

Detail from an etching of Thomas Betterton

Thomas Betterton
(1635-1710)

Considered the greatest actor between Burbage and Garrick, Betterton was even celebrated by Pepys.
Read more about Thomas Betterton

 

Detail from an etching of David Garrick

David Garrick
(1717-1779)

From his 1741 debut as Richard III, Garrick was the leader of his profession.
Read more about David Garrick

 

Detail from a portrait of Sarah Siddons

Sarah Siddons
(1755-1831)

Siddons was the most famous tragic Shakespearean actress of her age.
Read more about Sarah Siddons

 

Detail from a portrait of Ira Aldridge

Ira Aldridge
(1807-1867)

After emigrating from America at 17, Aldridge became the first black actor on stage in the West End.
Read more about Ira Aldridge

 

Detail from a portrait of Henry Irving

Henry Irving
(1838-1905)

After playing many of Shakespeare's most famous roles, Irving became the first actor to be knighted.
Read more about Henry Irving

 

Detail from a drawing of Ellen Terry

Ellen Terry
(1847-1928)

The leading lady of the Victorian theatre, Terry was the age's ideal of a Shakespearean heroine.
Read more about Ellen Terry

 

Detail from a photograph of Lillie Langtry

Lillie Langtry
(1853-1929)

Langtry was a famous society beauty who began acting when her reputation crashed.
Read more about Lillie Langtry

 

John Gielgud wearing a crown, as Richard II

John Gielgud
(1904-2000)

Gielgud's acting career spanned almost the entire 20th century, with Hamlet as his signature role.
Read more about John Gielgud

 

Laurence Olivier as Othello

Laurence Olivier
(1907-1989)

Olivier was the most famous Shakespeare actor of the 20th century.
Read more about Laurence Olivier

 

David Tennant wearing a crown, performing as Hamlet

David Tennant
(born 1971)

Most famous for 'Doctor Who', Tennant is also a much-admired modern Shakespearean actor.
Read more about David Tennant

 

Display highlights

Melage of Shakespeare performances
Performances at the
Shakespeare
Memorial Theatre,
1949-1956

Further highlights of 'Playing Shakespeare' included:

  • Film of Richard Burton attending the 1953 Edinburgh International Festival to play Hamlet. View on the Moving Image Archive catalogue
  • An illustrated map of Stratford-upon-Avon, where Shakespeare was born and brought up
  • An original letter from Vivien Leigh, writing about her 1951 performance of Cleopatra.

 

Past treasures displays

 

Treasures main page

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