Accompanied by a group of actors “disguised as normal people”, the Jerusalem star will approach people in the street and on Tube trains, and spout lines such as “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”.

“This is a thing that I’ve done for 15 or 17 years on Shakespeare’s birthday,” said Rylance. “The idea is to take this beautiful language and put it in the street, in a real person’s situation.”

The 12-week festival will also feature a new show by Damon Albarn and the English National Opera called Dr Dee, an exhibition of Tony Cragg’s sculpture on Exhibition Road, and daredevil dancers at London landmarks.

The London 2012 Festival is the culmination of the four-year Cultural Olympiad leading up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. See the full programme at www.london2012.com/festival