Complex sentence: Despite having already appeared in some of Shakespeare's plays, Hordern claimed to know very little about the bard's works and so for advice, he approached Cyril Luckham and his wife Violet, both of whom Hordern had worked with during his days in Bristol.
Split into simpler sentences: Despite having already appeared in some of Shakespeare's plays, Hordern claimed to know very little about the bard's works. For advice, he approached Cyril Luckham and his wife Violet, both of whom Hordern had worked with during his days in Bristol.