Anne

Anne is a new monologue written by Victoria Gartner about William Shakespeare's wife.
Anne was married to the most famous writer of all time when she was 26. They had three children. Anne never knew how to read, and we think she never came to London to see his plays. She is buried next to him, in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Discover her story...

Anne has been performed by Katherine Moran at the Pleasance Londonin November 2019, as part of Glass Splinters, a new writing night who produces work around women in history.

Anne was also live streamed in July 2019 as part of "Around the Globe in 30 Plays", a festival created by Fractured Time Productions to encourage donations for Shakespeare's Globe in a time of crisis.

We want to turn Anne into a longer piece soon, because we believe her story needs to be told... Stay tuned!

"History hasn’t quite forgotten me – not completely. Oh no – I’m right there. Always by his side, or behind him – in the shadows. They dug my grave next to his. Of course, nobody comes to see me. They all come for him – the poet. I was just the wife.

Oh, don’t get me wrong – the house was beautiful. When he first left, me and little Susannah were still staying with the family. His family, of course. That is how things worked, back then. That is how things always worked."

Excerpt of the beginning of Anne by Victoria Gartner

Cast & Creatives

Anne Shakespeare Katherine Moran

Writer & Director Victoria Gartner
Assistant Producer Charlie Mackellar
Photography Philippe Girard