The Botany of Shakespeare Comes to the ‘Urban Tree Festival – Gerit Quealy, the author of the best-selling illustrated compendium, ‘Botanical Shakespeare’ will be bringing a taste of the Bard and the botany that infuses his works to the ‘Urban Tree Festival’ this year.
After the success of sharing the world-famous canon’s literary-inspired flora at Chelsea in 2018, Gerit and the BoShax team will be producing an immersive indoor nature experience in the heart of the aptly named BLOOMSbury.
‘Shakespeare in the Wild: Urban Forest Bathing’ will look to inspire guests to seek and interact with nature in an urban environment.
This year’s ‘Urban Tree Festival’ back-to-back with the ‘Chelsea Fringe Festival’ offers a unique opportunity for Shakespeare’s love of nature to come to life. This will be in the form of a space full of trees, live plants, dried flowers & herbs, and branches are woven throughout the space to create an inviting environment for show-goers to step into a mini-Shakespeare Forest and practice “Shakespeare Forest Bathing”.
Mini talks and events will pepper the 2-week timespan. ‘Shakespeare in the Wild’ can be experienced from 14th to 29th May at ‘Hello Love’ 62–64 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London.
The Book Botanical Shakespeare is an illustrated compendium of all the flowers, fruits, herbs, trees, seeds, and grasses cited by the world’s greatest playwriter in his poems and plays. It begins with a brief look at Shakespeare’s world and the flowering of ‘green desire’. The author and artist reveal Shakespeare’s keen awareness of botany alongside his unparalleled ability to catapult nature into the land of emotion and metaphor, creating some of the world’s most unforgettable passages.
The evocative colour illustrations are further enhanced by the identification of the specific work in which each line appears, as well as the character who says it. The elegant typefaces and meticulous arrangement of plants and quotes throughout the book mirror the richness of Shakespeare’s writing.
Also included is a dictionary revealing unique aspects of each plant—such as Eglantine, a wild rose with a slight prickle, beloved for its singular scent superior to any other rose, or why in some cases, seeing the plant crystallizes the line. Plus, several long-standing Shakespeare botanical mysteries are re-examined, and even solved.
Perfect for nature lovers, Shakespeare enthusiasts, passionate gardeners, quote connoisseurs, and those looking for a thoughtful and unique gift, it offers depth and insight into Shakespeare and his timeless art through the distinct perspective of the plants he venerated.
Lilly Light