SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

A four-part historical documentary series on the life of Shakespeare, presented by Michael Wood.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Television

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Year of release

2003

Transmission details

(Channel: BBC2)

Credits

Director

David Wallace

Producer

Rebecca Dobbs

Additional Details

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Subjects

Drama; History; Literature

Keywords

biographies; history of the 16th century; history of the 17th century; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes

Broadcast in 4 weekly parts on BBC2 beginning 28/6/03

Reviews

Roberta E. Pearson and William Uricchio ‘Brushing Up Shakespeare: Relevance and Televisual Form’ in Henderson, Diana E. (ed.), A Concise Companion to Shakespeare on Screen (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2006), pp. 205-13.

Dutton, Richard ‘If I’m Right’: Michael Woods’ In Search of Shakespeare in Burnett, Mark Thornton & Wray, Ramona (eds) Screening Shakespeare in the Twenty-First Century. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006. (pp13-30).

Sections

Title

Time of revolution, A

Synopsis

The first episode of the series follows the changing fortunes of Shakespeare’s father, John, a Catholic glover who amassed a fortune in illegal wool-dealing. However, his Catholicism led to a downturn in fortune when he was placed on the State blacklist. This meant that William had to leave school at fourteen rather than continuing with his education. When he was eighteen, Shakespeare married a local farmer’s 26 year old daughter, Anne Hathaway, after she fell pregnant. Wood considers evidence such as secret government papers, spy reports, torture session notes and a coded diary and uncovers a sinister plot as well as shedding light on the feud between Sir Thomas Lucy and William Shakespeare.

Duration

60 mins

Title

Lost years, The

Synopsis

This episode explores the ‘lost years’ between Shakespeare’s marriage at 18 and his emergence as a writer in London ten years later. Wood investigates several theories about what the bard may have been doing during this period, including the suggestion that he may have joined Elizabeth’s government propaganda company, The Queen’s Men, that he served in an old Catholic house near Preston, or that he was an actor in Rufford, near Liverpool. The documentary also follows the downfall of Shakespeare’s greatest rival, Christopher Marlowe, recreating his last journey.

Duration

60 mins

Title

Duty of poets, The

Synopsis

In this episode Michael Wood uncovers Shakespeare’s rise to fame and fortune, as with the successes of Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he became England’s top entertainer. His good fortune was marred by the death of his son, and his summons for grievous bodily harm

Duration

60 mins

Title

For all time

Synopsis

In this last episode of the series, the reign of King James I was blown apart by the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, and plays about plots and paranoia ensued, including Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Meanwhile, the bard’s daughter received a court summons for her refusal to take Protestant communion. The programme includes a staged excerpt from Shakespeare’s ‘lost’ play, Cardenia.

Duration

60 mins

Production Company

Name

Maya Vision International

Email

nfo@mayavisionint.com

Web

http://www.mayavisionint.com/ External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7796 4842

Fax

020 7796 4580

Address

3rd Floor
6 Kinghorn Street
London
EC1A 7HW

Sponsor

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Retail outlets