As someone who was born and bred in Stratford-upon-Avon, I, for one, was thrilled to hear that Kenneth Branagh, one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of our times and an Oscar-winner to boot, is returning to the RSC after a 30-year hiatus.
I remember when Branagh trod the boards at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s home in 1993, playing the eponymous role in Hamlet. I was 15, and Stratford was the centre of my world. My late mum, Maggie, was an English teacher at the local high school, which I found a bit embarrassing at the time, but also gave me a real sense of belonging.
