a British theatre company that performs plays by Shakespeare and other writers. It performs mainly in the Barbican (in London) and in STRATFORD-UPON-AVON .
(1564-1616) an English writer of plays and poems, born in STRATFORD-ON-AVON in England, who most people regard as the greatest of all English writers. His many famous plays include the TRAGEDIESROMEO AND JULIET, JULIUS CAESAR, HAMLET, MACBETH, OTHELLO, and KING LEAR ; the COMEDIES A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAMTWELFTH NIGHT, and AS YOU LIKE IT ; and the historical plays RICHARD III and HENRY V . Many well-known English sayings come from Shakespeare's work, and he had a great influence on the English language and English literature. Shakespeare also wrote poetry, including the Sonnets, and worked as an actor at the GLOBE THEATRE in London.