Every major media outlet regularly runs pieces about the iffy state of the economy. Cable news stations, with their twenty-four-hour stream of talking heads, have supplied endless experts in every imaginable field giving their take on the country’s (and the world’s) financial woes. Depending on whom you ask, different culprits are to blame, but the usual suspects tend to show up. For many, the skyrocketing fuel costs are blamed for having a ripple effect on other products whose creation and/or delivery are sensitive to energy costs. As a result, consumers are backing off certain goods and services in an attempt to conserve, which is further stalling the economy. Others point the finger at the real estate market or other sources, while some analysts see these disparate areas as interrelated.

Regardless of the source or the severity of the issue (which is also debated), the impact has even been felt in the world of Shakespeare. Shakespearience, an attraction in Stratford-upon-Avon, has seen a severe drop in attendance. The downward turn is part of a larger trend of reduced tourism to Stratford and the U.K. as a whole. Since many of these tourists are Americans, the reduction could easily be attributed to increased travel costs as a result of gas prices. Until money matters improve (or perhaps if news outlets stop keening over the death of the economy for a few minutes), it seems some Shakespeare fans will have to put part of their passion on hold.

A large part of any forum for discussing, debating or analyzing Shakespeare is about what he and his plays mean to us. Often, we judge productions of the plays based on what our own assumptions about what/who Shakespeare is. If those notions lean towards the classical, the erudite and the poetic, then we’ll be disappointed, if not incensed, by productions that over-conceptualize his works. Conversely, if when we think of Shakespeare, we imagine hip, rebel poet, we’ll yawn expansively at productions that are too staid.

It is interesting, then, to think about Shakespeare from the opposite perspective: as the effect rather than the cause. In other words, are there certain things with which we immediately associate Shakespeare? A recent item on British tourism hotspots suggested this very idea. According to the article, Buckingham Palace and Stratford-upon-Avon are two of the hottest tourist attractions in the U.K. because when people think of England, two of the first things they think about are the Queen and Shakespeare. Oddly enough, when people from other countries think of the U.S., I doubt one of the first things to pop into their heads would be Eugene O’Neill.

If this is true, is Shakespeare inseparable from his British-ness? When Shakespeare is done with Yank accents, does it not work for some people based on their assumption that Shakespeare must be British? More importantly, are Brits forever associated with Shakespeare (i.e. do we automatically assume anyone with an English accent must love and be thoroughly familiar with The Bard’s works)? Does Shakespeare’s international popularity obscure other important people, landmarks and ideas from the country’s long and rich history?

Big changes have been announced recently for Shakespeare’s digs. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust oversees a number of buildings in the Stratford-Upon-Avon area related to The Bard, including the houses where he was born and where he died. The Trust’s current efforts are focused on embellishing the experiences of Shakespeare enthusiasts who visit the various houses. Like Colonial Williamsburg in the U.S., one of the primary focuses is having historian-actors recreate various aspects of life in Elizabethan England.

In the wake of the recent announcement of a Harry Potter-themed amusement park, I wondered what (if funds allowed) Shakespeare’s answer to Six Flags might be like. Would there be “Hamlet’s Haunted House,” in which kids might be chased around a scary castle by the Prince of Denmark’s ghostly dad? “Henry V’s Wild Ride” could take visitors on a virtual trip through the Battle of Agincourt. They could even include theme restaurants like “Shylock’s Pound O’Flesh Hoagies.” Not that it’s a competition, but doesn’t that sound better than some park with an Owlery and plastic “Deathly Hallows” as souvenirs?