Woman’s Hour [02/01/2007]

Alternative title: Shakespeare’s Best Supporting Female Roles
Synopsis: Radio series, presented by Jenni Murray, which aims to ‘celebrate, inform and entertain women’. In this edition Jenny Herman presents a 10-minute item on the best female supporting roles in Shakespeare. The theme is marriage. Pippa Guard from the University of Greenwich speaks of how texts on what makes a happy marriage were very popular in Shakespeare’s time. She believes the happiest marriage in Shakespeare is that of Lady Percy and Hotspur. There is an extract from Henry IV. Part 1 1I, iii. Mariah Gale, Portia in the 2006 Royal Shakespeare Company of Julius Caesar, talks about the role (extract from II, i). Golda Rosheuvel who plays Calphurnia in the same production discusses the role with the emphasis on women not wanting men to leave the family home - brief connections with Coriolanus and Macbeth are made. Jennifer Matter, who plays Lady Macduff in the 2006 Creation Theatre Company production of Macbeth talks about the role (extract from IV, ii). Finally Mariah Gale, who also plays Octavia in the RSC’s 2006 production of Antony and Cleopatra, talks about the small role and the significance it has.
Series: Woman’s Hour
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Radio
Transmission details: 2 Jan 2007 at 10:00 (Channel: BBC Radio 4)
Duration: 60 mins

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