Walking Shadow

A compelling blend of memoir, travelogue and investigation, Walking Shadow sheds new light on the past while Doran himself emerges from the darkness of loss.

After the death from cancer of his husband, Antony Sher, Greg Doran stepped down from his role as artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. In the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio, and inspired by the surprising history of the company’s own copy, he set out to see how many of these important volumes he could find. Walking Shadow relives the months leading up to Sher’s death, told via the two men’s raw and loving diaries, and maps Doran’s quest to track down folios worldwide.

The journey took him to Japan, where Doran met the emperor, and to New Zealand and South Africa where the legacy of Shakespeare has become entwined with the story of colonialism. In Europe, his trip to Frankfurt takes him to the place where the First Folio was initially offered for sale in 1622. While in England, he visits the places where Shakespeare and his actors once walked. Each copy has its own unique features – often visible only to the eagle-eyed – and remarkable tales.

By his journey’s end, Doran had seen more than 200 First Folios – over 90 per cent of all the surviving copies – including one whose existence was previously unknown. He had also gained a greater understanding of Shakespeare and his times, as well as his impact on the world.