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Page last updated at 08:25 GMT, Wednesday, 18 July 2012 09:25 UK

Mandela's 'prison Shakespeare'

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Today is Nelson Mandela's birthday and the eve of an exhibition at the British Museum called "Shakespeare: staging the world". The exhibition contains a copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare which the inmates of South Africa's notorious apartheid-era Robben Island prison read clandestinely.

Disguised with pictures of Hindu deities on the cover, each prisoner put their signature alongside their favourite passage.

Greg Doran, director of the RSC's current production of Julius Caesar and Sonny Venkatrathnam, one of Mr Mandela's fellow inmates discuss the copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare that became known as the Robben Island Bible.

This is an extended version of the broadcast item.


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