Think you know Shakespeare? Think again!! - Such a brilliant tour! Declan is hugely knowledgeable and passionate about Shakespeare. I’ve studied Shakespeare, performed his plays, and I’ve lived in London for over 20 years and I still learnt loads of new, interesting facts and was captivated. Feel like I’ve discovered a whole new part of my city!! Thanks Declan.

Great Tour - Declan is a great tour guide! Fascinating, entertaining, much better than you'd get from a guide book. Recommended.

Shakespeare’s London - It was a great tour. Declan provided many great details about Shakespeare, London and history that were fascinating. At times, I felt transported back to life many centuries ago.

Rich and moving, suitable for the Shakespeare scholars as well as first-timers to the City - Bravo! Declan is a warm and witty guide. His tour was a highlight of this trip to London. I am a Shakespeare nerd, and others on the tour that day were not, but Declan adapted his style and skill for each of us. His deep knowledge of the material and the sites is at his fingertips. He is a remarkable storyteller. He engaged with each of us on the Walk. Declan took us to sites that those familiar with James Shapiro's scholarship will find especially revealing, affirming, and moving. Declan put the sites in the context of Shakespeare's life and the historical events and movements of that time, including Henry VIII's Dissolution Act and the ensuing recusancy in the times of Mary, Elizabeth and James. Declan touched on the difference between the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods of Shakespeare's life and work. He addressed the "Shakespeare didn't write Shakespeare" rumours, historical and contemporary. An astonishing highlight was Declan's performance of "All the world's a stage" from As You Like It beneath Richard Kindersley's "Seven Ages" sculpture. Recited deftly, with just enough gravitas to remind us that Shakespeare's words are the simple stars of this grievous and uplifting monologue, Declan contextualized the poetry in the author's oeuvre, pointing out that Shakespeare was a mere 35 years old when he composed it. By that time, Shakespeare had experienced grief and loss beyond his years, and his art had perhaps begun to unmake him. Declan ended our revels near a Medieval church in the Barbican, where he deftly rounded our little walk with relevant lines from The Tempest. It happens that there were clouds in an unusually bright late-afternoon sky, and the light, for a few moments, was an insubstantial pageant. Did I say "moving"? Yes. Declan appreciates the few autobiographical details we have of Shakespeare, and he clearly understands the vulnerability of talent, especially when a glover's son's talent is doubted by the "educated" class. (Sorry if this review is pedantic -- that's on me. This tour is suitable for any new visitor to Shakespeare's footsteps, and, if you are going to see a play by Shakespeare, it will enrich your experience of both the plays and the City!)

Insightful tour full of hidden treasures... - Such an insightful tour wending our way through Bard-related nooks and crannies north of the river. Declan led the walk at a perfect pace and opened our eyes to so many treasures hidden in plain sight. Thank you!

Great Shakespeare Tour! - Our guide had huge knowledge of Shakespeare's history around the corners of London that it would have been impossible to get to know by myself. In addition, great artistic skills for bringing quotes from Shakespeare's plays during the tour! Highly recommended!

Great walk. Highly recommended. - We would highly recommend this walk. Declan is passionate and knowledgeable about his subject . We learnt all about the places where Shakespeare lived and worked on the north bank of the river. If you take this walk you are truly walking in Shakespeare's footsteps.

Truly hidden secrets - A well researched and dramatized telling of the history and personal details of Shakespeare’s many connections hidden in plain sight within the small parameters of the City of London (not greater London, just the original small city). Fascinating to hear both undeniable historic facts and relationships as well as plausible speculation on motivations and social realities form this time period. Well worth your time to walk the city and imagine yourself in the steps of Shakespeare!

THEEEE best hidden and historical Shakespeare walking tour - THEEEE best Shakespeare tour guide Declan was FANTASTIC! He KNEW all things Shakespeare because it is his love and passion! I could tell right away that we were in for a treat! I missed my start time two Fridays ago (London train traffic! Urgh) so Declan let me join today with my friends and two other Americans. Declan KNEW what he was talking about, answered all our (mostly mine!) many questions and recited key portions of keep plays at crucial locations. Part historian, part actor, always fun and passionate, Declan was great. I highly, HIGHLY recommend Declan.

Shakespeare's city - Brilliant walk. So many places and things you could walk past and never know they were there and the connection to Shakespeare. Declan was a real passionate font of knowledge.