Shakespeare Club meeting, 7 April 2026

The Club’s 978^th meeting was held on Tuesday 7 April 2026 when Dr Manuela Perteghella, Stratford-upon-Avon’s MP elected in 2024, spoke on From Globe to Government:  Shakespeare in Translation and in Parliament.

She began by talking about her upbringing in Italy where she was introduced to Shakespeare. She commented that many of the elements of The Tempest, a play she has worked on, are reflected in Italian life: the music, jokes, complicated family relationships.

Much of her professional life has been spent working on translation, often in collaboration with theatre companies, and she commented on its importance especially given the role of English culture worldwide.  Shakespeare speaks to everyone regardless of different languages and cultures, in different times and places. Each culture makes Shakespeare their own.

In Parliament she chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Shakespeare, which aims to promote the influence, accessibility, and educational value of Shakespeare’s work. Partners include the SBT, Shakespeare Institute, RSC, Shakespeare’s Globe, Rose Theatre, and Shakespeare North. She asked the question “Does a group have the ability to make a difference?”

The Group is gathering evidence and is focusing on creating a report with recommendations for improvement in those three key areas. 

There is already a strong argument for Shakespeare, since he influences the UK’s international reputation, and is a cultural ambassador for the values of the county. The arts in general contribute hugely to the UK’s GDP and the Group aim to highlight this fact.

Acessibility is another aim that is informed by her experience with translation and adaptation. Different cultures can and should make Shakespeare their own. One of the current challenges of the Group is Artificial Intelligence, looking to find ways of protecting the work of creators in the arts.

Education is another crucial subject being considered by the Group. Most people do not get a love of Shakespeare at school. There is a need to change teaching methods, and there is much evidence that there is a better way, based on what the RSC has done to remove the formality of the classroom and replace it with a more active performance-based experience. A similar approach is needed in the teaching of languages, and there is concern that modern language departments are closing down, while deprived areas can not attract language teachers.

There are barriers: individual MPs are knowledgeable about Shakespeare and often quote him but this does not necessarily mean that he is seen as a priority.

She made a few comments on the subject of being in Parliament more generally. She is Stratford-upon-Avon’s first woman MP, and reminded the Club that it was 1907 before the first woman MP was elected to Parliament, and that at the current rate it would be 170 years before equality is achieved. She noted how difficult it can be to get a chance to speak in the House of Commons, and the need for “bobbing up and down”  to get the attention of the speaker who controls what happens in the chamber.

Her passion and commitment to the subject was apparent to the audience who asked many questions and made comments. She was warmly welcomed and the evening ended with a suggestion that she should return to pursue some of the subjects she raised in more detail.