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William Shakespeare was born in Stratford, England, in 1654. He wrote plays for the first Globe eatre on the south side of the ames River in London. He also wisely invested in the company. In 1613, the Globe was destroyed by fire, only to be rebuilt again. In 1644, e Globe was torn down when Puritans closed all London theaters. In 1970, Sam Wanamaker, an American actor and filmmaker who was living in London, created the Shakespeare Globe Playhouse Trust. It took many years to raise the funds and secure the permits, but the theater eventually reopened to the public in 1997, complete with an education center, a Shakespeare museum, and an exhibition space that features an extensive collection of costumes and props. e Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, which opened next-door to Shakespeare's Globe in 2014, is lit with over 100 beeswax candles. Today there are daily tours through the open-air Shakespeare's Globe and performances of plays are scheduled during the UK's warmer months. Because of the popularity of all things Shakespeare, I highly recommend booking tickets for tours and plays well in advance. In fact, we book our show tickets before confirming our flights. I've taken the tour at Shakespeare's Globe more than once, and I'm always impressed with the knowledge and presentation of the guides — and there's always a moment when I stop listening, tune out, and process the heady reality of the fact that I'm standing where the Bard worked his magic. Sometimes, in these moments, scenes from the movie Shakespeare in Love flash in front of me and I'm drawn back in time. Shakespeare's Hometown Depending on your mode of transportation, it takes about two hours to travel from London to Stratford-Upon-Avon. We recently stayed at e Arden House Hotel, which is lovely, sited near the Avon River, and just steps away from the Royal Shakespeare eatre where we saw Much Ado About Nothing. e last Much Ado I saw was the Emma ompson and Kenneth Branagh film version, and I was surprised that the opening scene was — instead of warriors returning from battle — boisterous football players coming home after a big game. However, Shakespeare's words are timeless, so they fit just as well in a contemporary adaptation where news reporter Beatrice wielding a cellphone is engaged in a war of words with Signor Benedick holding his helmet. I felt the same way in London when the Romeo and Juliet we saw at Shakespeare's Globe was set in 19th century Wild West with no shortage of cowboys, ranchers, and desperados. detour destinations << ranchandcoast.com 72 AUGUST 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE