We saw Julius Hollingsworth portray Paul Robeson in ‘Shakespeare in Sable’ for the Harlem Shakespeare Festival at a special event on Monday evening. The 600-seater auditorium at the New York Academy of Medicine was packed. As Julius sang Robeson’s signature tune, ‘Ol’ Man River’, the audience was galvanised by the truth and emotion of the moment. In this extract from our interview with him, Julius speaks about how Shakespeare makes us understand our individuality and interconnectedness.