On Saturday 25th October we were delighted to welcome Ian Doescher, author of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars, to the Shakespeare Bookshop for a book signing and Q&A session. Ian’s books have been amongst our best sellers in the shop since we began stocking them over a year ago, so we were all very excited to meet him and get the chance to have our own copies signed.
After a brief rehearsal the event kicked off in true theatrical style. Ian read the Prologue to begin, and then narrated the key plot points of the films while Shakespeare Aloud’s Jen and Rich performed scenes from the books. Props were used to fabulous effect, with Elizabethan light sabres making an appearance as well as speeches performed over walkie-talkies. The audience was even treated to Ian’s skilled Yoda impression!
There were lots of questions for the author once the performances were over, so we learned a lot about Ian’s inspiration for the books and the work that has gone into them. When asked about the difficulty of turning a film into a stageable play, Ian described his decision to move scenes around at points so that the action was more suited to theatre, where sets may not allow for the action to switch rapidly back and forth. We also learned that the books have the full backing of George Lucas, and that while Ian doesn’t know if he’ll tackle the upcoming Disney Star Wars films, he is already working on the prequel films and hopes to have them out next year!
Finally, when asked if he had a Shakespeare/Lord of the Rings mash-up in the pipe-line – Lord of the Rhymes, perhaps –Ian assured us that he has ‘no plans to tinker with Tolkien’. Once the questions had been asked, Ian sat down in the bookshop to set about the serious task of the day. Flanked by the Shakespeare Duck and Duck Vader, he chatted with his fans while signing and putting personal inscriptions in over 100 of his books. After the queue had died down, he then went on to sign a further 200 copies so that future visitors might have the opportunity to pick up a fabulous gift for any Star Wars and Shakespeare fan. These books are flying off the shelves already, so if you would like to grab yourself one (or three) you'll have to be quick!
All-in all, the event was a great success! Ian was a charming guest, and it was a huge honour to welcome him to the bookshop. We would like to extend a big thank you to him and his family for travelling to Stratford to join us. Thanks and applause must also go to Jen and Rich of Shakespeare Aloud! who worked hard to bring the performances to life, and who brandished their light sabres like true Jedi masters.