The best quotes from Shakespeare’s works will be displayed in an exhibition in Hanoi from 22 September to 15 October 2016. Shakespeare Lives in Words is to be set in the iconic Old Quarter of Hanoi, at the Cultural Exchange Centre at 50 Dao Duy Tu Street.
As part of the global Shakespeare Lives programme, the exhibition is organised by the British Council in partnership with Nhã Nam, a famous local publisher. The event also received support from the Hanoi Old Quarter Centre for Cultural Exchange. Shakespeare Lives is a series of events and activities throughout 2016 celebrating Shakespeare’s work on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of his death. Activities in English, education and the arts will explore the story of how the ‘Bard of Avon’ and his work continue to inspire people all over the world.
More than 30 quotes from such classics as Hamlet, Macbeth, the Tempest and Romeo and Juliet, amongst others powerfully show that the verse, though created nearly half a millennium ago, is still alive and kicking. Here are a selection: ‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.’, ‘We know what we are, but know not what we may be.’, ‘Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.
In the form of an installation of colours and shapes, Shakespeare Lives in Words will surround and wow audiences with words everywhere. There will be cut-outs in big sizes, words in colour screens and words in different layouts. Broader contexts of the quotes and fun facts about Shakespeare’s life will also be displayed.
In addition, there will also be a corner where participants can read Shakespeare’s works in Vietnamese and learn about English words invented by Shakespeare.
At this event, the winners from ‘Shakespeare Lives in Sonnets’ translation competition will be announced. Organised by the British Council and Nhã Nam, the competition attracted more than 250 entries from across Vietnam. Competitors of all ages not only showed a genuine interest in Shakespeare but also great courage in decoding the very difficult language of Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets.
A round-table discussion on the teaching and learning of Shakespeare in Vietnam will also be organised to coincide with the re-print of Hamlet in Vietnam (translated version). Joining the discussion will be Dr Sarah Olive from the University of York, Le Nguyen Long, lecturer of Western Literature from Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Le Thanh Trung, lecturer from University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University.
Opening Exhibition on 22 September 2016 - Tentative Program
14.00 Opening exhibition and ‘Shakespeare Lives in Sonnets’ Prize Award
15.00 A round-table discussion ‘Shakespeare Lives in Schools’
Leading on Shakespeare Lives activities in Vietnam, the British Council has been collaborating with publishing houses, arts organisations and schools to engage audiences with new creative work inspired by Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. Shakespeare Lives activities will enable audiences to reassess perceptions of Shakespeare and provide new inspiration to engage with his work which never fails to charm readers from across the world.