Some people might think that fussing over a name is much ado about nothing, but those people aren't named Shakespeare.
Of those who are, about 115 turned up to celebrate the Bard's birthday Tuesday at the site of the new Globe Theater. It was the largest gathering of Shakespeares since 1964, which was celebrated as the playwright's 400th birthday. All seemed proud of their illustrious name.Of course, it may be that none of the latter-day Shakespeares is related to England's premier playwright. Genealogies are hazy on this point.
But never mind.
"We all like to think we're related to the Bard," said Stanley Shakespeare, a London hairdresser, who pored through phonebooks for six months to compile the invitation list of 600 Shakespeares throughout Britain.
He's not picky. Invitations went to people named Shakespear, Shakspear, Shaxper and other variations.
Those who came to London will be guests of honor at a week of readings, dinner parties, films and concerts organized by the Friends of Shakespeare's Globe. But for most of the Shakespeares, the important thing was being together as a family.
"These Shakespeares are all fantastic, really friendly, and we all feel a natural empathy with each other, even though most of us have never met before," said 33-year-old Phil Shakespeare, a supermarket manager in West Bromsgrove. The Shakespeares donned yellow hardhats and visited the construction site where a replica is being built of the Elizabethan Globe Theater, the playhouse most closely associated with the Bard.
A 30-foot-high banner bearing Shakespeare's portrait was unfurled next door on the new Midland Bank building, also under construction.