The Bard.

You can’t switch on the BBC at the moment without encountering references to Shakespeare and the fact that it’s the 400th anniversary of his death. Am I allowed to say this? I don’t really like Shakespeare. Yes, of course, I recognise the brilliance of his writing, the breadth of his vocabulary, his peerless use of the iambic pentameter and the way so many of the phrases he originated are part of everyday language. I’ve just never enjoyed a Shakespeare play and oh God, I’ve tried. I’ve seen some wonderful productions. Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet, Dustin Hoffman as Shylock, Derek Jacobi as King Lear, hoping that suddenly it would all make sense and I’d be as enthralled as others have been for more than 400 years. But no. Shakespeare remains something I admire rather than like. If I’m totally honest, I prefer his sister.