Bringing the world of Shakespeare to life with duels, insults and acting is an immersive experience not to be missed this coming weekend, as well as a fitting way to celebrate William Shakespeare's birthday.

The public is invited to dress up in Shakespearean costume and head along to Tauranga's Historic Village on Sunday April 23 for a day of battles, performances and fun.

Gates open at 10am on Sunday with Shakespearean-themed activities, video, a photobooth and games happening along Main Street.

At 12pm, Shakespearean monologues start. Actors from Apex Academy of Performing Arts will be performing from two locations at the village.

Some of the actors will be in the village square, and some at the amphitheatre. Audience members will be led between the monologue stations by guides so that they can experience all of the Shakespearean performances.

At 12.30pm in the Village Square a large battle scene between the Montagues and Capulets will take place. For those who know the play ‘Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare, prepare to watch the fight scene with Romeo and Tibalt played out across the cobbles of the main street.

‘Write a Shakespearean insult' competition

Everyone is invited to have a go at generating their own Shakespeare-inspired insults and burns all while keeping it classy and clean. On Sunday, during the event judges will select a winner.

Actor Johnny Condinato rehearsing for the Shakespeare at the Tauranga Historic Village event on Saturday April 23. Photo: Dhaivat Mehta.

Shakespeare was a man known for his quick wit and creativity and his insults were creative even for his time, and as such, they became an important element of his plays. The Shakespearean insult was created to add elements of comedy and relatability to his performance. Created for any occasion his insults are clever and cutting.

'Thou sodden-witted lord! Thou hast no more brain than I have in mine elbows” from Troilus and Cressida (Act Two, Scene One) and "The tartness of his face sours ripe grapes” from The Comedy of Errors (Act Five, Scene Four) are just two of many examples.

Shakespeare's characters knew how to call someone a 'moron” or 'idiot” without ever stooping to such simplistic terms. Who but Shakespeare could create insults out of elbow, biscuit, and mustard metaphors?

Write your best Shakespeare insult and post it to the Apex Academy or Craft Facebook page.

'Our judges will announce the winner at the Shakespeare in the Village event on April 23 at 1pm,” says an Apex spokesperson.

First prize for best insult is a $50 Pak n' Save Gift Card. Winners will need to attend the event at 1pm to collect their prize.

Costume competition

At 1pm, as well as the best insults being announced, there will be prizes for the best costume.

The audience are encouraged to come along dressed up in Shakespearean costume and sign up for the costume parade.

Following the prize giving and costume parade, there will be a repeat of the monologue stations, starting at 1.45pm and a repeat of the battle scene at 2.15pm with the event ending around 3pm.

Diana Hopkinson, Kade Morris and Charlie Murray, as The Three Witches rehearsing their scene from William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. Photo: Dhaivat Mehta.

When exactly is William Shakespeare's birthday?

It may be more than 400 years since he died but the Bard still has a thing or two to teach us on self-love, love, happiness, overthinking, jealousy, life, power, fashion, the environment and feminism to name a few.

Celebrating William Shakespeare's birthday when his actual birth date is unknown isn't too hit and miss. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in April 1564. The exact date of his birth is not recorded, but it is most often celebrated around the world on April 23.

Shakespeare's baptism is recorded in the Parish Register at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon on Wednesday April 26 1564. Baptisms typically took place within three days of a new arrival, and parents were instructed by the Prayer Book to ensure that their children were baptised no later than the first Sunday after birth. This means that it's unlikely that Shakespeare was born any earlier than the previous Sunday, April 23. Given that three days would be a reasonable interval between birth and baptism, April 23 has therefore come to be celebrated as his birthday.

Shakespeare also died on April 23; in 1616, when he was 52 years of age.

Who is William Shakespeare and why do we care?

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".

His 17 comedies include The Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing. Among his 10 history plays are Henry V and Richard III. The most famous among his tragedies are Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. Shakespeare also wrote four poems, and a famous collection of Sonnets which was first published in 1609.

Shakespeare's real name was recorded as Gulielmus Shakspere at his baptism in 1564, which is the Latin word for William. He called himself 'Will' in his Sonnets and most of his contemporaries referred to him as William Shakespeare, so it's safe to say that this was his name.

Some may ask why Shakespeare is still so famous today. Shakespeare remains vital because his plays present people and situations that we recognize today. His characters have an emotional reality that transcends time, and his plays depict familiar experiences, ranging from family squabbles to falling in love to war.

William Shakespeare is credited with the invention or introduction of over 1,700 words that are still used in English today. William Shakespeare used more than 20,000 words in his plays and poems, and his works provide the first recorded use of over 1,700 words in the English language.