Samsung Unveils RE:Shakespeare App, an Encounter of Digital and Literature

Samsung Electronics has unveiled RE:Shakespeare, an app that enables users to study and experience Britain’s most celebrated playwright’s classic work, Much Ado About Nothing, on their mobile devices.

RE:Shakespeare engages users with several types of content. These include interactive games using popular lines from the play, a virtual reality version of Much Ado About Nothing, where users can watch a scene from the play in a 360-degree experience, and short lecture clips on Shakespearean drama.

Samsung partnered with The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) to create realistic and immersive content. With RE:Shakespeare, the RSC has successfully reproduced the classic play into mobile content that contains modern and entertaining elements.

A number of well-known British actors, including David Tennant, who hosted the app, showed their commitment to make Shakespeare more engaging for pupils.

“Shakespeare’s works are not only a great British treasure, they have also had a huge influence on literature around the world,” said Won-Pyo Hong, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Samsung Electronics. “That is why we launched this campaign: to use technology to help preserve the world’s cultural heritage, and at the same time inspire our customers by combining digital technology and classic literature.”

From next month, Samsung and RSC will launch the RE:Shakespeare programs by encouraging young people between the ages of 11 and 18 in the United Kingdom to download the app. This will provide a digital learning experience to boost students’ interest and engagement in Shakespeare’s plays.

RE:Shakespeare is part of the Pride Rediscovery program that Samsung adopted earlier this year. The program is comprised of activities that aim to revitalize national pride by championing outstanding literary works from each region. Samsung plans to build on the momentum from RE:Shakespeare by expanding similar programs, in order to give teenagers from around the world the opportunity to look back on their cultural heritage and history through digital devices.

The app is available through Google Play.