James Bond meets the Bard at RSC festival in April

01-Mar-2008 • Event

The world's most famous spy will be celebrating Shakespeare's birthday in Warwickshire with a dry Martini, shaken not stirred, as Bond meets the Bard.

The iconic 007 films will be revealing what they have in common with the Warwickshire playwright as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's celebrations in Stratford for Shakespeare's Birthday - reports icCoventry.

Bond Meets The Bard is part of a series of birthday events being held on April 26 and 27 at the Swan Gardens in Stratford.

In Table Talk, RSC actors will work with a director on one of Shakespeare's plays, and Shakespeare and Me will offer a personal insight into performing the Bard's works.

In Getting Intimate With Strangers, RSC actors will reveal what draws them to Shakespeare characters.

The RSC has also announced a Christmas production of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Neil Bartlett, which will open at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford in November.

Other highlights include Don John in association with Kneehigh Theatre in the Courtyard Theatre.

Artistic director Michael Boyd said 2008 was a year of change for the RSC with the transformation of its theatres under way.

But its ambitions remained the same: To play Shakespeare, to build on the legacy of the Complete Works Festival developing relationships with other UK companies, to tour and to continue its commitment to writers and new plays.