“All the world’s a stage,” Jaques famously declares in As You Like It, “and all the men and women merely players.” It’s unlikely, of course, that Shakespeare had The Ricotta Eaters by Vincenzo Campi specifically in mind when he wrote those words in 1599, but it’s possible Campi-like thoughts were churning round his head. Foolish people leading foolish lives, hopes dashed, greed expressed — it’s all eminently Shakespearean.
Since we appear to be living through the Age of the Quiz — phoning a friend, counting the numbers, feeling pointless — here’s a quiz question prompted by the Campi picture. What have The Ricotta Eaters and the number six got to do with Shakespeare and his trousers? The answer will emerge, I hope, during this
