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MISCELLANEOUS

QUOTATIONS – The text of Shakespeare's speeches has been generally modernised, but with the original spelling retained here and there for added period atmosphere. Reading aloud any words that look a little strange will usually reveal the meaning straightaway. For example: 'warre' sounds like 'war'; 'tragedie' when read aloud gives us 'tragedy'; 'phangs' turns out to be 'fangs'; and so on.

ACCESSIBILITY – As the quotations are part of the artwork of the illustrations (and therefore not accessible electronically), for those that would like it there is a transcription available: use the 'Quote' thumbnail you will find near each illustration as a link.

CREDITS – In the recordings, Shakespeare was voiced by Nick Triggs and all other parts by Bryan Mason. Both are graduates of the University of Bristol Acting Academy.
All original text, audio recordings and illustrations are © 2008 Mark Brierley, who is the illustrator, editor, designer and builder of the website: mark@mbrierley.freeserve.co.uk

BIBLIOGRAPHY – Facsimile of the First Folio, ed. D. Moston (Routledge 1998)
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works, ed. R. Proudfoot et al. (Thomson Learning 2001)
The Arden Dictionary of Shakespeare Quotations, J. Armstrong (Thomson Learning 2004)
The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare, ed. M. Dobson and S. Wells (OUP, 2005)
Essential Shakespeare Handbook, L. Dunton-Downer and A. Riding (Dorling Kindersley 2004)
The Rough Guide to Shakespeare, A. Dickson (Rough Guides 2005)
Shakespeare's Words, a Glossary and Language Companion, D. and B. Crystal (Penguin 2004)
Shakespeare in Art, J Martineau et al. (Merrell Publishers 2003)

CAVEAT – It ought to be pointed out that the historical Shakespeare would not have performed many of the roles he takes in this website.
He would have been too old in 1607 (the nominal year of the performances) to play many of the female roles in which he is pictured – and indeed in that year several of the plays in which he is shown performing had yet to be written! But as the site is primarily a showcase for Shakespeare's most famous characters, and it was desirable to include every one of the plays, a blind eye has been turned to this particular incongruity.
It should also be said that the 'live' audio, despite being 'recorded' in 1607, is in modern pronunciation (the pronunciation of Shakespeare's day would have been significantly different), and that although the illustrations often show Shakespeare and cast in historical costume, performances at that time would have been staged in mainly contemporary dress regardless of the play's historical period.

DICKENS – As we have seen, William Shakespeare was a successful writer who had a parallel career as a performer. Another was Charles Dickens, who toured extensively reading extracts from his works to audiences numbering in the thousands. Visit www.dickensontour.com to see a short introduction to Dickens and his Public Readings.