June 23, 2012
On May 22nd, the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) featured a unique event - the grand finale of SHAKE38, a 38-play marathon of Shakespeare’s works leading up to the opening of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis - which kicked off with a preview of Othello on May 23rd. This event featured chess-themed readings from plays such as The Tempest, Richard III, Cymbeline, and King John. Performers were dressed in Renaissance garb and Bill Ash of the St. Louis Guitar Society played music from the Shakesperean era.
If you missed it, here are some quotes from the evening's readings:
“A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”—Richard III
“I’ll move the king.”—Cymbeline
“That thou mayst be a queen, and check the world.”—King John
“How fares the king?”—The Tempest
Did you know how many chess references there are in Shakespeare’s plays? Check out The Tempest for more references to chess - you will be surprised!