Praising the playwright

Four hundred years after the death of William Shakespeare –the Bard was born on April 23, 1564, and died on the same day in 1616– the UK and the whole world will this month pay homage to one of its greatest authors. Shakespeare Lives is a global programme through which the UK aims to celebrate its greatest author with activities organised around the world, taking in theatre, literature, cinema, exhibitions and educational projects in schools.

Theatre companies from the UK to Taiwan, Poland, the US and even the remotest of countries will perform the Bard's plays, while literary festivals will be held, and the Shakespeare Project has invited eight contemporary authors to modernise their favourite Shakespeare play. Among them, are authors such as Margaret Atwood, Jo Nesbo and Tracy Chevalier.

In Catalonia, there is a whole host of activities already running or coming up, from exhibitions at the Púbol Castle or Shakespeare entre nosaltres, held at the Biblioteca de Catalonia in April. In theatre, the Teatre Lliure is hosting a modern adaptation of Hamlet, and the project Parking Shakespeare returns in July. Before that, in May, the Maldà recovers Shaking Shakespeare, and La Seca premieres Romeo and Juliet, while the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (TNC) will show Much Ado about Nothing. This is just a just a quick pick of some of the activities organised in Catalonia and abroad for Shakespeare Year.

The exhibition, Dalí, Shakespeare, Visconti, on show at the

Castell de Púbol until January 2017, shows the influence that Shakespeare had on Dalí and the collaboration between Visconti and the Cadaqués-born painter. Curator Lucia Moni says that the show is a tribute to the Shakespeare anniversary and shows how Dalí was influenced by the great playwright, through Visconti's play, Rosalinda o Como vi piace (As You Like It), for which Dalí designed the stage setting, and starring actors, such as Vittorio Gassman and Marcello Mastroianni. The show displays 29 photos, 16 documents and three original works by Dalí, exploring his work beyond painting and his connection with the performing arts.

The great Shakespearean anti-hero returns to the Lliure to put his undeniable and contemporary human profundity to the test. Without Shakespeare we are nothing. Without Hamlet, we are nobody. Directed and versioned by Pau Carrió, and with Pol López as Hamlet, the cast is completed by Eduard Farelo (Claudius), Xicu Masó (Polonius), Rosa Renom (Gertrude) and Maria Rodríquez (Ophelia). “We are aware that something is rotten in the kingdom, the prevailing corruption, we know that one can smile, but also be a villain. Like in a prison, there is no way out, and these things anger and puzzle us. We wonder what we should do.” From March 17-April 17 at the Teatre Lliure in Gràcia.

Every July, the Parc de l'Estació del Nord in Barcelona hosts a theatre event which has become a tradition, as well as one of the best free-of-charge activities in Barcelona: Shakespeare comedies performed outside, and for free. The company Parking Shakespeare was born in 2009, inspired by the Anglo-Saxon idea of doing theatre in public venues, and with the aim of making theatre accessible to everyone. Last year, they presented their version of As you Like It (Al vostre gust) under the director Llàtzer Gàrcia . No stage settings, no sound equipment, no microphones, just a love of theatre. www.parkingshakespeare.com

The UK celebrates the legacy of its most influential author with Shakespeare Lives, a global programme of events and activities celebrating the Bard through theatre, film, exhibitions and educational activities. The British Council team are also working with a host of theatres, museums, educators and artists. Writers Margaret Atwood will produce a modern version of The Tempest, while Jo Nesbo will present his own vision of Macbeth. The project will run throughout 2016 all over the world, exploring Shakespeare as a living writer who speaks for all people and nations. More at www.shakespearelives.org and www.britishcouncil.co.uk