Shakespeare’s women are bold, brainy, mischievous – and sometimes downright wicked. These women have been given a platform of their own in a new book collaboration between the RSC and HarperCollins, available to pre-order now, and to purchase on the anniversary of Shakespeare's birthday, 23 April 2026.

Shakespeare’s Strong Women delves into the power, passion and most perceptive observations of Shakespeare’s female characters. These women are not just part of the plot; they’re the driving force behind the action, cracking jokes, taking matters into their own hands and delivering some serious sass to the patriarchy.

Shakespeare's Strong Women offers witty and modern interpretations of his characters, alongside behind-the-scenes tales of performances from the RSC's archive, and features a foreword written by RSC Associate Artist Juliet Stevenson about her time performing on RSC stages.

The book also presents newly-commissioned illustrations and humorous quotes to deploy in everyday life. For example, when dealing with a traffic warden: ‘What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer?’ and when a colleague forgets to unmute on a call: 'Alas, she has no speech'. 

Harriet Prideaux, Senior Commissioning Editor, says of the collaboration: "I am thrilled to be working with the Royal Shakespeare Company on such a fun, entertaining book. This is a fascinating, modern take on Shakespeare’s leading ladies – some we have all heard of, others we really should know more about - and it’s the perfect read for anybody looking for an inspiring, feminist interpretation of Shakespeare’s works."

Shakespeare's Strong Women is available to pre-order now and to purchase from 23 April 2026 in our RSC Shop online and in Stratford-upon-Avon.

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