Richard Tames

A reconstruction of Elizabethan London written in the style of a contemporary guidebook, Shakespeare's London on Five Groats a Day does exactly what it says on the tin. It is fascinating to look at the city as it was in an earlier time, when the Tower of London secured the walls of the City and Westminster remained far outside them, old London Bridge hadn't yet fallen down, and the south bank remained largely rural (with notable exceptions like the Globe Theatre).

Richard Tames' book is full of interesting titbits and the guidebook gimmick mostly works. We look, on arrival in the reconstructed city, through the eyes of a foreign traveller (which I suppose we are). We become convinced of the daily life of Tudor England, its grime and routine and its "clatter and chatter in the courtyards" (pg. 34). The flavour of the place emerges, though unfortunately this does not extend to the writing, which is rather dry and hampered by the guidebook structure. Enjoyment of the book is limited by the fact there is no narrative to follow, no opportunity to cut loose one's imagination from our tour guide's path. Nevertheless, under Tames' direction Shakespeare's London shows itself to be a very interesting place to visit for a time.… (mehr)