William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born to John Shakespeare and mother Mary Arden some time in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays (the precise number is uncertain), a collection of sonnets and a variety of other poems. Rebecca Brown is Lecturer in Shakespeare Studies at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. She has taught in schools and universities in England, Denmark and the USA, written articles and reviews for academic publications and contributed to film projects. She has also written performance histories and educational material on Shakespeare. Stanley Wells is Emeritus Professor of the University of Birmingham and Chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.