Cambridge University Press refresh, update and complete leading Shakespeare series for the Cultural Olympiad

The New Cambridge Shakespeare, for decades a staple for students and enthusiasts alike, has been the focus of a major re-launch project by Cambridge University Press, timed to mark Shakespeare’s birthday on 23 April and events for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Comprising 41 books in total, the series now includes all of Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets and poems with the final publication of The Two Noble Kinsmen. Over the years, the majority of titles have gone into revised editions. Now several more have been updated, and all feature a new series cover design, with colourful photographic images dominating the new look, each themed to the text in question.

Cambridge University Press’s re-launch marks the start of a season of events devoted to the key dramatic figure of the Cultural Olympiad. The World Shakespeare Festival, a huge collaboration between UK and international arts organisations and produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, celebrates Shakespeare as the world’s playwright throughout April–November. The BBC’s Shakespeare season will feature a range of new adaptations, learning resources and documentaries and The Globe Theatre will launch its ‘Globe to Globe’ programme in April, hosting 38 international theatre companies, with each play performed in a different language.

The new series will launch on 1 April and a webinar will also be held in association with Shakespeare Birthplace Trust on 23 April entitled ‘Making Shakespeare.’

For Cambridge University Press, the series was a clear choice for such an important project, says Sarah Stanton, Publishing Director for Humanities: "The New Cambridge Shakespeare appeals to readers worldwide for its up to date scholarship and emphasis on performance. This important year of celebration and international performance provides the ideal occasion to complete publication of the entire series, update some details and refresh our cover design."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The New Cambridge Shakespeare is relaunched on 1 April 2012 by Cambridge University Press.

Further information about the series can be found at www.cambridge.org/ncs

New Cambridge Shakespeare timeline

• 1920s – The New Shakespeare launches with a striking red cover design depicting a cartoon Shakespeare by Picasso.
• 1984 – The series is reinvented as The New Cambridge Shakespeare and each book now features an original drawing by C. Walter Hodges of an imagined Shakespearean staging.
• 1990 – The last redesign before 2012 sees the series adopt a Shakespeare portrait by David Hockney that has become a much-loved brand.
• 2012 – 1 April sees the re-launch of the whole series, now complete with 41 titles covering all of Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets and poems. Focussed around the stunning new design, a dedicated marketing and social media campaign has featured prize giveaways for those who can match the cover to the right book.

About Cambridge University Press

Cambridge University Press dates from 1534 and is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Dedicated to excellence, its purpose is to further the University's objective of advancing knowledge, education, learning, and research.

Its extensive peer-reviewed publishing lists comprise 36,000 titles covering academic research, professional development, over 300 research journals, school-level education, English language teaching and bible publishing.

Playing a leading role in today’s international market place, Cambridge University Press has 53 offices around the globe, and it distributes its products to nearly every country in the world. It publishes titles in 70 different languages drawn from authors in 120 different countries.