ALL the world’s a stage according to Shakespeare – and now so is the railway route between Birmingham Moor Street and Stratford
A total of 34 Shakespearian-inspired statues have been installed along the line, connecting each station with a different Shakespeare play.
The artwork was unveiled on Wednesday May 21 at Stratford station and was celebrated with a short performance of an extract from As You Like It by students from King Edward VI School – the school Shakespeare attended.
The statues were made possible thanks to the Friends of the Shakespeare Line (FoSL), Network Rail, West Midlands Railway, and Chiltern Railways who worked together to fund and install them.
With each of the 18 stations adopting a famous play, and the Shakespeare statues being complemented by special planters with flowers looked after by volunteers along the line, passengers can now enjoy a unique journey as they travel to the home of the world’s most famous writer.
Some of the stations and plays connected along the route include Yardley Wood and Twelfth Night, Wood End and The Merchant of Venice, and Wilmcote and The Taming of the Shrew.
Neil Morgan, treasurer of Friends of the Shakespeare Line, said: “We have put the railway well and truly on the map with William Shakespeare now starring at each station along the line.
“All the volunteers have worked so hard and are so committed, and we are seeing benefits along the whole route with these special statues adding to this famous stretch of railway. We are building on other improvements made at stations along the way, including at Henley where we have brought new life to the station building and, in doing so, attracted more visitors to the town by train.”
The statues also have information on visiting the Shakespeare family homes in Stratford, helping visitors and locals connect with the Shakespeare story.
Luke Purser, director of development at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust added: “What a fabulous opportunity to both celebrate Shakespeare and highlight the opportunities to explore the wider Shakespeare story in Stratford via rail. We thank the Friends of the Shakespeare Line for their support, and we look forward to welcoming more visitors arriving by train to the home of Shakespeare.”
