Newsnight [25/02/2009]

Synopsis: Television news and current affairs programme presented by Jeremy Paxman. Includes a Newsnight Review item (6.5mins) on the newly established Hip Hop Shakespeare Company. Kirsty Wark announces the launch of the Company. Brief shots of a workshop with supporter Ian McKellen participating. McKellen speaks of the affinity between rap and Shakespeare and the rhythms in Shakespeare’s language which by the time he wrote the late plays resembled the rhythms of jazz. A teenage boy raps part of a speech from Romeo and Juliet. McKellen speaks highly of rapper Akala as an inspirational teacher. In the studio Akala raps Sonnet 18 (`Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?'). Akala joins panel Kirsty Wark, Shappi Khorsandi, Ben Okri and David Aaronovich. The panel, like McKellen, speaks of the rhythmic language of Shakespeare and rap and their similarities. Akala tells of a workshop he conducts in which he gives participants lines from a well known rapper and lines from Shakespeare and they have to guess which is which. Many guess incorrectly (some well known Shakespeare Institutions are said to have failed the test). He gives the same test to the panel.
Series: Newsnight
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Television
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Transmission details: 25 Feb 2009 at 22:30 (Channel: BBC2)
Duration: 50 mins

Contributor: Akala; Ben Okri; David Aaronovich; Ian McKellen; Kirsty Wark; Shappi Khorsandi

Theatre company: Hip Hop Shakespeare Company
Production type: Documentary/Educational/News
Subjects: Drama
Keywords: Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Rap music; Hip Hop; Hip Hop Shakespeare Company

Notes: A clip of the Newsnight Review is available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/review/7906679.stm (accessed 24/3/2009).

SHAKESPEARE