A new television series has put forward a startling theory that William Shakespeare may have been a Cockney from east London rather than the Bard of Avon. The programme, titled 'Weird Britain', challenges the long-held belief that the playwright hailed from Warwickshire.
The Two Shakespeares Theory
The eyebrow-raising claims are based on research by historian Graham Phillips. He believes historical records point to two men with the same name living very different lives. The London Shakespeare appears in documents as a struggling actor and playwright working in the capital, while the Stratford Shakespeare is portrayed as a wealthy grain merchant, landowner and money lender with no obvious links to the theatre.
Evidence from Records
The programme claims the West Midlands fella was rich enough to buy one of the town's biggest houses and lend out cash by the late 1590s. However, records allegedly show the London Shakespeare living in rented rooms and being chased over relatively small debts. Mr Phillips also points to the famous Shakespeare monument in Stratford's Holy Trinity Church. It now shows the playwright holding a quill and paper, but an old illustration appears to show the original figure clutching a sack instead. He argues that suggests the man was remembered as a grain dealer rather than a literary genius.
Researcher's Statements
Mr Phillips said: "There are many mysteries surrounding Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon. Yet, there is ample evidence that a man called William Shakespeare was writing and performing plays in London." The researcher believes the answer is simple and says they were two different men. He even claims the playwright may have hailed from another Stratford altogether - the one in east London, just a few miles from the Globe Theatre.
Mr Phillips added: "But if Shakespeare didn't come from Stratford in Warwickshire, where did he come from? In the first published edition of his works, Shakespeare is associated with a place called Stratford, which is how the link to Stratford-upon-Avon began. There is, however, another Stratford in east London, just a few miles from the famous Globe Theatre."
Cockney Shakespeare Plays
The programme playfully suggests alternative titles for Shakespeare's works in Cockney style: Two Geezers of Verona, The Merry Sorts of Windsor, The Merchant of Shoreditch, 'Amlet, and Much Ado About Diddly Squat.
