It is safe to say that the work of William Shakespeare is performed and celebrated somewhere in the English speaking world and beyond on a daily basis.

Few, however, would expect to find his plays staged throughout the year in a former industrial mill town, in the southern US state of Virginia.

All the more surprising is the fact the plays are performed in the world’s only authentic recreation of Shakespeare’s long lost Blackfriars Playhouse.

Three hours drive south of Washington DC lies the small town of Staunton (pop. 24,363), where you will find Blackfriars Playhouse, home of the American Shakespeare Center.

The company celebrated its 30th anniversary in September and boasts a reputation as one of the most accomplished Shakespeare companies in the United States.

Its theatre has even attracted the attention of Dame Judi Dench, who on visiting Blackfriars Playhouse declared: "Crikey! Why isn't this in England?"

She later added: “I was instantly captivated by its atmosphere and by the amazing work that goes on there. It is a center of excellence and should be protected and cherished.”