April 23, 2016 marked the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, and it is the day that the San Diego Library opened up ticketing to see a rare copy of his First Folio. The book will be on display at San Diego’s Central (downtown) Library from June 4 through July 7, as part of an exhibition co-hosted by the library and the Old Globe Theatre. The exhibition will free of charge, but due to its anticipated popularity, the library recommends patrons obtain tickets in advance. Timed admission will run every 30 minutes. Tickets can be obtained at this link:
A limited number of drop-in tickets will also be available at the Central Library each day.
What is the First Folio, and what’s the big deal? During Shakespeare’s lifetime, some but not all of his plays were published in quartos, basically flimsy paperbacks. The quartos were unauthorized and inaccurate versions of the plays. After Shakespeare died, John Heminges and Henry Condell, two of his friends, accomplished what Shakespeare had never done for himself — publish a complete, definitive collection of his plays. In addition to the quartos, they had access to materials that no longer exist, such as the original handwritten manuscripts and actors’ prompt copies.
Without the work of Heminges and Condell, Shakespeare might not be remembered today. Certainly, far fewer of his plays would have been preserved, because 18 plays are known to us only through the First Folio and had not appeared in quarto form, among them Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. The New York Post ran an excellent article explaining how the First Folio was compiled and what its importance is. The book that will be coming to San Diego is on loan from the Folger Shakespeare Library. It is one of just 235 surviving copies.
The exhibition website tells us this about the upcoming exhibition:
Shakespeare’s First Folio will be available for viewing and opened to the page with “To be or not to be” from “Hamlet.” Accompanying the rare book will be a multi-panel exhibition exploring the significance of Shakespeare, then and now, as well as the importance of the First Folio. A supplemental exhibition will showcase original props, costumes, photographs, and ephemera from The Old Globe’s 80-year archives….
In addition there will be a un-ticketed complimentary display in the Hervey Family Rare Book Room adjacent to the art gallery. “Publishing Shakespeare” will present rare and exquisite editions of work by and about Shakespeare. Drawing from the San Diego Public Library’s rare book collection, the exhibition will include more than 50 beautifully produced books and prints spanning four centuries of publishing and book art.