President Barack Obama visits Shakespeare’s Globe on the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death

Saturday 23 April 2016

Shakespeare’s Globe is delighted to announce that President Barack Obama visited Shakespeare’s Globe on the morning of 23 April, the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. The President was welcomed into the Globe Theatre by the cast of Hamlet, home from their two-year tour to almost every country on earth.

The Hamlet company performed a selection of scenes from the production for the President, before greeting him on the Globe stage. The company have returned home for the weekend for four final performances, having travelled over 300,000 km and played 293 performances at 202 venues in 197 countries.

Dominic Dromgoole, Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe, said: “At the end of an extraordinary journey all around the world, it is great to return home to the Globe, and to be able to perform a few scenes and to be welcomed back by President Barack Obama. The spirit of ‘Yes we can’ has informed the entire tour, and it’s an honour to meet the man who coined the phrase, and who exemplifies its spirit.”

The President’s visit marks the start of a weekend of celebrations for the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Over 23 and 24 April, Shakespeare’s Globe will be showing specially created short films of every single one of Shakespeare’s plays for free along the banks of the Thames, between Tower Bridge and Westminster. The project, entitled The Complete Walk, stars some of the UK’s finest actors and includes footage shot in the real locations of the plays, from Athens to the Ardennes, Vienna to Verona, Towton to the Tower of London. Each of the 37 screens will show one ten-minute film on a loop between 10am and 10pm on Saturday, and 10am and 8pm on Sunday. On the morning of Saturday 23 April, Southwark Cathedral are hosting a specially curated service for the anniversary, attended by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron of Shakespeare’s Globe.

Phone               +44 (0) 20 7401 9919

In person          Mon-Sat 10am-6pm (8pm on performance days)

Sundays           10am-5pm (7pm on performance days)

Online               www.shakespearesglobe.com

Tickets               £5 – £45 (Globe Theatre) £10 – £62 (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse)

Patrons who are members of the free access scheme are eligible for adjusted ticket prices.

• The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse: The candlelit Jacobean theatre at Shakespeare’s Globe opened in January 2014. The Playhouse hosts concerts and other events throughout the summer, with the main indoor theatre season running October to April.

• Globe Education: One of the largest arts education departments in the UK; each year, over 100,000 people of all ages and nationalities participate in its public events, workshops and courses. Globe Education also runs extensive outreach programmes for students and teachers in the Southwark community, nationally and internationally.

• Globe Exhibition & Tour: Open to the public all year round, the Globe Exhibition and Tour explores the life of Shakespeare, the London where he lived, and the theatre for which he wrote.

• Globe On Tour: The Globe’s productions tour extensively in the UK and internationally. Current tours include: Much Ado About Nothing and a production of Hamlet that is travelling to every country in the world.

• Globe Player: An online platform offering full-length HD films of over 50 Shakespeare productions at the Globe to rent or buy.

• Globe On Screen: Shakespeare’s Globe on Screen returns to cinemas in 2016, bringing highlights from the 2015 theatre season to cinemas worldwide. Globe on Screen 2016 will feature The Merchant of Venice, Richard II and Measure for Measure, all captured in ‘live’ high definition. For more information contact [email protected]

• Globe Shop: Stocks a variety of products, including theatre season-specific merchandise. All profits go towards supporting our educational mission.

• The Swan Bar and Restaurant and the Foyer Café Bar: Open all year round, for reservations and more information please call 020 7928 9444 or visit loveswan.co.uk

• The Shakespeare Globe Trust: Registered UK charity No. 266916. Shakespeare’s Globe receives no regular public subsidy.