William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)[1] is an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and perhaps the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

The playwright

His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, two epitaphs on a man named John Combe, one epitaph on Elias James, and several other poems.

Most of Shakespeare's plays have multiple names assigned to them in the various manuscripts, from full titles with elaborate subtitles, to short, abbreviated titles. In ESAT we follow the general convention of using the shortened titles, (e.g. Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, etc.).

Shakespeare in South Africa

Performances and adaptations of his plays in South Africa

His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. imported into South Africa under colonial rule, his works have frequently been performed here by amateurs, professionals, schools and universities. Numerous translations and adaptations of the works have also been created in South Africa, in most of the 10 indigenous languages as well..