A Day With The Bard - Stratford Upon Avon

I’d only intended to spend a quick night here, not thinking the whole Shakespeare thing was my thing… its amazing how little you know yourself sometimes.

I was pretty exhausted by four days train, bus and taxi experiences, and three hours walking and stair climbing around Warwick Castle, and so decided to spend two nights in Stratford-Upon-Avon for a spot of respite, and am glad I did so.

I’d intended to give myself a sleep in, but when I am travelling, sleep is not my friend. I was up and spritely at 7.45am, dressed, face washed, hopped down for a quick fancy breakfast then off and out, camera swaying to and fro at my abdomen.

The photos can tell most of the story, the old town is almost dedicated to the bard, tudor buildings and higgildy piggidly gardens, the church where he is buried, the flagstone tiled pedestrian ways where he walked, and ofcourse the Royal Shakespeare Theatre where he… well, where he did nothing, its just named after him!

There’s a warmth to the town, as if we all know why we’re there. Tribes of school children are shepherded between exhibitions, followed by distraught looking teachers whom I don’t envy at all.

My first stop was the childhood home of Shakespeare, which by some magnifiscent turn of events still stands today. You’ve probably heard of PT Barnham, if only from the fictional representation by Hugh Jackman in “The Greatest Showman”, but this dodgy money grabbing character thought it might be a great idea to, when Shakepeares home came up for sale after being a guest house for the past few hundred years, dismantle the place and ship it to… of all the ludicarous places… AMERICA!

Well, gaffawed Charles Dickens upon hearing this, IT SHALL NOT BE! I imagine that’s how he expressed myself while dashing his high hat against his leg.

So Mister Dickens, along with other well known patriots, took it upon themselves to SAVE the home by creating the first version of the National Trust and purchasing the house, making it a place for Shakespeare pilgrims to visit, and eventually… for me to pop past!

To have this slice of history is just incredible. But that’s the whole of England and Britain to be fair. I’m walking under awnings that have stood for longer than my family have been Australian. It even smells oldie-worldie.

I wandered through, bending down so as not to smack my head on every low hanging beam and enjoyed the antique furniture which was on loan from across the lands in order for myself and other visitors to get a true climpse into history.

And then… there was the final stage… the stage that resulted in an utter heart explosion, a back-to-the-future deja vu moment and utter teeth smiles.

Stepping out of the property and into the Autumn sunlight I came upon two ‘players’ (what they used to call actors). Two ladies in period attire performing the ‘perchance to dream’ speech from Hamlet. I don’t know how, but one moment I was at the threshold of Shakepeares home, the next I was saw enthralled, mouthing the words that the actor was announciating.

The three other audience members clapped and a lady asked for the “Witch scene”, the two actors agreed and began the first scene of McBeth (I think the audience were after the Toil Toil part… but either way).

Those three moved off and I asked for a Puck scene (my favourite character from A MidSommer Nights Dream), then we started discussing our favourite plays and characters. One of the actresses came and sat by me and we started gossiping excitedly about the comparison of Puck and Ariel, and how we felt sad for poor Ariel who had so much power but didn’t really have the confidence to use it… then onto Tricilo – a hilarious drunkard from the Tempest…

Anyway, long story short, I was utterly enamoured! The joy to discuss. The realisation of how much I love Shakepeare and how much more I knew of his work than I thought I did!

I had the actress perform her favourite scene, and laughed outloud as she cackled heartily.

I was at once happy and sad as I bid my momentary friends farewell, they seemed almost as sad to see me leave! If this was the end of the day, I would sleep a happy girl.

I may or may not have purchased a tea towel and three small books with three of my favourite plays…

But it was not, I continued my route around Stratford, taking a slow canal boat ride down the… well, the canal. I mean, you cant very well come to Stratford Upon Avon and not go ON the Avon.

This canal was built in 1793, and is part of the 2000 miles of canals that run in, around and across England. When you get on and move to leave what I consider the ‘parking area’ (though don’t say that to a sailor, I’m sure they’d have my head off!) you then move into a bay type thing, directly infront of you is a thick wooden gate, and once you’re settled, another boom comes at your from behind, so you are kind of penned in.

Next the boat seems to be sinking! What’s happening is that the water level is going up or down in order to be aligned with the water level beyond the parking area… I’m sure someones explained that a hell of a lot better!

At any rate, was all very fascinating and its incredible that this canal system remains.

The final aspect I’d like to advise you of is a little piece of information that we’re not privy to when studying Shakespeare at school. He was a naughty little mite.

He was married at 18, which at the time, was nothing unusual. However, he was married to a woman almost ten years his senior! At 26 he and Anne Hathaway quickly tied the knot. I say quickly, because during this era it was required to go through a month or so of religious rites before officially becoming a Mister and Mrs. Then… six months later, his first baby arrives.

OH! The SCANDAL!

Anyway, cheeky monkey, but if you read or watch his work, there’s no way he could have written what he did without being a bit of a rogue at least!

Sadly we know nothing more about Anne than that fact she married Shakespeare and had his children. No letters or paintings, but her house (her family home where she was raised and her and S lived for a time) still stands, as does the surrounding gardens. Again, so fortunate to be able to take a step back in history.

So those are a few little anecdotes from a place I’d never even contemplated visiting, that infact, has reignited my literary passion. No doubt I’ll be doing some midnight performances infront of the mirror in the weeks to come!