It was good to read in the Evening Standard (20/1/2011) that, as part of the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics, the Globe Theatre in London will be staging Shakespeare’s 38 plays in 38 languages. The plays will be performed during a six-week spell leading up to the 2012 Olympics.
I think it is excellent that one of the greatest literary geniuses will be celebrated in such an inclusive way. As Dominic Dromgoole, the theatre’s artistic director explained, “Shakespeare has become an international language and has proved one of the most life-affirming and barrier-transcending ways that people can speak to one another. His plays have been translated into every major living language and there is a long tradition of Shakespeare performances around the world in people’s own vernacular.” What better way is there to welcome visitors from overseas?
