Measuring Shakespeare's digital heartbeat To commemorate the birthday of Shakespeare, on 23rd April 2012, over 130 school students were invited to the British Embassy in Tokyo for a unique opportunity to see Shakespeare’s First Folio and a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle manuscript of a Sherlock Holmes story which had travelled all the way from London to Tokyo.
These two great treasures from the British Library were brought to Japan by De Montfort University as part of the GREAT campaign. The First Folio, published in 1623 seven years after the author’s death, is one of the most precious among the 230 or so existing First Folios, and is arguably the most precious book among the 150 million to be found in the British Library’s collection.
The school students, who ranged from 10 to 15 years, learnt more about Shakespeare during the morning’s activities. These included an introduction to Shakespeare from a Japanese Shakespearean actor and a presentation of the Folio and the Conan Doyle manuscript by Jamie Andrews, Head of English and Dram at the British Library. The students also enjoyed a highly interactive and entertaining English workshop on Romeo and Juliet given by British Council teachers. Here is a video to share their experiences.
