October 8, 2008 10:39

Beatles and William Shakespeare in new collaboration

The words of the bard have been put to the music of the Fab Four

Photo Gallery: The Beatles

The music of The Beatles has been paired with the words of William Shakespeare in a new show, 'A Bard Day's Night'.

The one-man performance has been put together by Chris O'Neill, who plays Sir Paul McCartney in a Beatles tribute band, Backbeat Beatles.

Most of O'Neill's composition use words from Shakespeare's sonnets, although lines from plays including 'As You Like It' are also utilised, reports BBC News.

"I woke up and wrote down all these ideas about the Beatles going back in time and meeting Shakespeare," O'Neill said, explaining how he was inspired to create his show.

"I get my complete works of Shakespeare out and give myself some tasks – sometimes it might be a speech – and I just sit there with a piano.

"The speeches are harder to do, sometimes I can't really get my head around the timings of how they are spoken,n but the sonnets seem to be very easy. They are perfect to put into music."

'A Bard Day's Night' debuted at The Sage in Gateshead on Monday (October 6).