Wait! Someone else wrote Shakespeare?!

Presenting her case that someone else wrote Shakespeare, charismatic Dublin actor and lawyer Rose Loughlin show ‘A Rose by Any Other Name’ is currently delighting Dublin audiences at Smock Alley Theatre.

The successful Edinburgh show, which opened on Monday and runs until this Saturday (9^th), charts the colourful journey of Rose’s real-life experiences in her quest to discover who is the real Shakespeare.

From clues in Cambridge, to proof in Padua, and validations in Venice, the show offers incredible insights, tales of entertaining encounters, and moving monologues.

The inspiration for the show is Rose’s passion around the Shakespeare authorship question, a subject she became interested in by accident while studying classical acting.

For extra understanding of Shakespeare, she read up on his background, but became fascinated by the weight of evidence in favour of alternative candidate, Elizabethan courtier, poet and playwright Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford to have written the plays and poems under the pseudonym William Shakespeare.

“Applying some analytical skills from my legal career to Shakespeare, I travelled to places associated with de Vere; where he was born, lived and worked, visited, and died,” said Rose (pictured above)

“Those journeys were filled with magic moments and unexpected delights, providing ripe material for a show that I hope sparks intrigue and wonderment,” says Rose.

While Rose hopes the audience may develop curiosity around Shakespeare authorship, her human story shines through, underpinned by universal themes of personal transformation and the joy of discovery.

For those interested in Shakespeare, ‘A Rose by Any Other Name’ promises to challenge long standing perceptions and offers a brand-new perspective.

For those not especially interested in Shakespeare, the charm and conviction of the protagonist’s delivery may well awaken a curiosity in learning more.

Praise for ‘A Rose by Any Other Name’

The Scotsman newspaper described it as “beautifully performed, genuinely insightful and full of interesting new research, carried out between the UK and Italy” and “Loughlin’s skill as a performer and storyteller maintains the intrigue of a well-put together piece of documentary theatre that would also make a great television series.”

Theatre and Arts Reviews.com said “For Shakespeare fans and those looking for something more highbrow this production could be exactly what you are looking for… “I was impressed with the vast quantity of dialogue learned and delivered from sonnets, quotes and personal reflection on her research….”it is a highly recommended production.”

Audience reviews described it as:

“Brilliant! Absolutely Absorbing and Intriguing, Enlightening Woven Stories, Past and Present – A Must See!”

“Wonderfully entertaining, combining a personal story with the mystery of who Shakespeare actually was”

“Engaging, surprising and illuminating! Best show I’ve seen”

“Wonderful performance and beautifully written”

A Rose by Any Other Name Directed by Andrew Deering

Venue: Boys School Smock Alley                                                   

Dates: Mon 4th – Sat 9th March

Time: 8pm (Duration 1hr 50m including 15min interval)

Matinee Time: 3:30pm on Sat 9th March

Tickets: €17 (€14 conc)

Tickets Online: A Rose by Any Other Name (ticketsolve.com) OR https://smockalley.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873641162

 Twitter: @shakesmonologue Instagram: @shakespearedevere #arosebyanyothername