Shakespeare, as you like it

Comedy, tragedy and history are all set to befall Liverpool city centre this weekend.

On Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 April, dozens of venues across Liverpool city centre will be embracing the bard as they take part in The Complete Walk – a special tribute to the work of William Shakespeare.

To mark the 400th anniversary of the death of one of the world’s most famous playwrights, Liverpool is the only UK city outside of London to host this special FREE event which will see a series of 37 specially commissioned short films played on screens at city centre venues.

Some of those taking part and showing the ten minute films on a loop are World Museum Liverpool, The Beatles Story, Lime Street and Albert Dock Tourist Information Centres and Vinea at Albert Dock Liverpool.

A digital map showing where all the venues are can be found at www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/thecompletewalk.  A flyer can also be downloaded which has full details of the screenings, and this can also be collected from one of the 35 venues taking part.

Liverpool’s Director of Culture, Claire McColgan, said: “The Complete Walk offers up a fantastic culture-packed weekend, whether you’re a Shakespeare aficionado or someone yet to discover the world-renowned plays – and best of all, it’s free.

“We are the only UK city outside of London to host this event, and we’re delighted Shakespeare’s Globe has recognised the valuable contribution Liverpool can add to the project as a whole.

“It’s great to see so many venues in the city centre support this event – from hotels to civic buildings right through to restaurants and cultural attractions.  Some of them have a real affinity with the play they are hosting – the courts at St George’s Hall’s fit in well with The Merchant of Venice and Bluecoat’s balcony makes them the perfect home for Romeo and Juliet.

“We hope as many people make the most of this opportunity to see famous faces bring to life some of the Bard’s most famous works, in just ten minutes.”

Martin King of The Beatles Story said: “We are thrilled to be one of the locations in the city participating in The Complete Walk.

“We will be showing The Merry Wives of Windsor in the Fab Four Café at the Albert Dock as we join together with other city venues to commemorate 400 years since Shakespeare’s death.

“The Complete Walk is a great event to celebrate the works of Shakespeare and we’re looking forward to welcoming people to enjoy one of the playwright’s great comedies, as for a special weekend Shakespeare’s popular comedic character, Sir John Falstaff, becomes the fifth Beatle.”

Jon Marrow, Senior Education Manager at National Museums Liverpool, said: “We’ll be showing Richard III at World Museum, and are really excited to be welcoming people into the venue to celebrate the life and works of such an important figure in literary history. We’d also encourage visitors to call into the Walker Art Gallery to see William Hogarth’s David Garrick as Richard III, an incredible portrait of the greatest British actor of the mid 18th century playing the leading role in the play.”

Jackie Crawford, Liverpool’s Tourist Information Centre Manager, said: “Weekends are always a busy time in our centres, and it’s great to be able to offer visitors a different experience by showcasing two of the plays.

“It’s just another way for us to show off what a cultural hotbed Liverpool is!”

34 venues are involved in the project. The films they are showing and the times (which are subject to change) are as follows:

 

 Play Saturday 23 April Sunday 24 April
All’s Well That Ends Well The Florrie, 9am-6pm The Shankly Hotel, 12-5pm
Antony and Cleopatra Odeon foyer, Liverpool ONE, 11am-10pm Odeon foyer, Liverpool ONE, 11am-10pm
As You Like It Council Chamber, Liverpool Town Hall, 10am-4pm Council Chamber, Liverpool Town Hall, 10am-4pm
Comedy of Errors 62 Castle Street, 12-5pm 62 Castle Street, 12-5pm
Coriolanus St George’s Hall, 10am-5pm St George’s Hall, 10-5pm
Cymbeline The Florrie, 9am-6pm Restaurant Bar and Grill, 3-7pm
Hamlet Liverpool Cathedral, 10-4.30pm Hope Street Hotel, 2-8pm
Henry IV, Part I & Part II Unity Theatre, 12-8pm Granby Market, 1-3pm
Henry V FACT, 11am-9pm FACT, 11am-9pm
Henry VI, Part I, II & III Liverpool Everyman, 10am-4pm Liverpool Everyman, 10am-4pm
Henry VIII Tourist Information Centre, Albert Dock, 10am-5.30pm Tourist Information Centre, Albert Dock, 10am-5.30pm
Julius Caesar Pump House, Albert Dock, 10am-11pm Pump House, Albert Dock, 11am-11pm
King John Hall of Remembrance Liverpool Town Hall, 10am-4pm Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, 10am-4pm
King Lear St George’s Hall, 10am-5pm St George’s Hall, 10am-5pm
Love’s Labour’s Lost Liverpool Playhouse, 10am-4pm Liverpool Playhouse, 10am-4pm
Macbeth Ziferblat, Albert Dock, 10am-7pm Ziferblat, Albert Dock, 10am-7pm
Measure for Measure BBC Radio Merseyside, 10am-5pm BBC Radio Merseyside, 10am-4pm
The Merchant of Venice St George’s Hall, 10am-5pm St George’s Hall, 10am-5pm
Merry Wives of Windsor The Beatles Story, Albert Dock, 9am-7pm The Beatles Story, Albert Dock, 9am-7pm
Midsummer Night’s Dream Tate Liverpool, 10-5pm Tate Liverpool, 10-5pm
Much Ado about Nothing Waterstones, Liverpool ONE, 9am-7pm Waterstones, Liverpool ONE, 11am-5pm
Othello Cosmolodge (Kazimier Garden) 12noon-midnight Cosmolodge (Kazimier Garden) 12noon-midnight
Pericles Winter Gardens, Granby 4 Streets, 1-3pm Winter Gardens, Granby 4 Streets, 1-4pm
Richard II Tourist Information Centre, Liverpool Lime Street, 9.30am-4.30pm Tourist Information Centre, Liverpool Lime Street, 11am-3pm
Richard III World Museum, 10am-5pm World Museum, 10am-5pm
Romeo and Juliet Bluecoat, 9am-7pm Bluecoat, 9am-7pm
Taming of the Shrew dot-art, 10am-6pm Merseyside Dance Initiative, 12-5pm
Tempest Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 10am-3.30pm Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 10am-2.30pm
Timon of Athens Vinea, Albert Dock, 11am-6.30pm Vinea, Albert Dock, 11am-8.30pm
Titus Andronicus Liverpool Playhouse, 10am-4pm Liverpool Playhouse, 10am-4pm
Troilus and Cressida Granby workshop, Granby Four Streets, 1-4pm Granby workshop, Granby Four Streets, 1-3pm
Twelfth Night Aloft, 10am-5pm Aloft, 10am-5pm
Two Gentlemen of Verona Liverpool Central Library, 9am-12.30pm Liverpool Central Library, 10am-4.30pm
Winter’s Tale Marriott Hotel, 10am-5pm Marriott Hotel, 10am-5pm

 

Some of the cast announced featuring in the films are Simon Russell Beale, Zawe Ashton, Peter Capaldi, Dominic West, James Norton, Olivia Williams, Jonathan Pryce, Phoebe Pryce, Hayley Atwell, Meera Syal, Jamie Parker, Danny Sapani, Mel Giedroyc, Aidan Gillen, Joshua McGuire, Paul Chahidi, Pauline McLynn, Joseph Marcell, Kenneth Cranham and Tom Burke.

Liverpool’s Complete Walk is being sponsored by Edge Hill University.

For more information about The Complete Walk visit www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/thecompletewalk or like @culturelpool on Twitter of follow Culture Liverpool on Facebook.

Liverpool Waterfront