Much ado about shopping

London – Selfridges is bringing new meaning to the term retail theatre to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

• The department store has launched an in-store theatre that will host a production of Much Ado About Nothing
• The campaign also features limited-edition pieces by designers including Rick Owens and Christopher Kane

Shakespeare Refashioned is a campaign in two parts. Act I will focus on ‘a tale of laughter and light’, while Act II will take a darker path inspired by the bard’s classic tragedies. To accompany the campaign, the department store has created visual merchandising for its Oxford Street windows and collaborated with designers and brands to produce limited-edition pieces that celebrate the playwright’s most famous characters and themes.

The in-store Refashioned Theatre, a collaboration between Selfridges and UK theatre company The Faction, will host a modern retelling of Much Ado About Nothing and enable shoppers to go behind the scenes of the production with live rehearsals and readings throughout the space. The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art will also use the space to host a series of dance and stagecraft workshops and masterclasses.