Shakespeare Uncovered
2013–2018: Misc.

A series of one-hour studies of various aspects of Shakespeare’s plays; these are remarkably penetrating as a rule. They bring in a wide range of scholars and theater people for interviews, and present a variety of perspectives on particular plays and the broad spectrum of Shakespeare studies. There are so far three seasons (2013, 2015, and 2018). I hope there will be more.

The episodes of the first season (2013) are:

1. The Comedies with Joely Richardson: chiefly on the roles of women in the Shakespeare comedies; a very penetrating discussion.
2. Macbeth with Ethan Hawke: not the best of these, to my thinking, but contains some thoughtful ideas about Macbeth.
3. Richard II with Derek Jacobi: remarkable, both in the depth of penetration of the play itself, and in embodying Jacobi’s own perspectives on his BBC Shakespeare performance of Richard II thirty years earlier.
4. The Tempest with Trevor Nunn: an intriguing perspective on the play from one of the most consistent innovators of the last two generations; not perhaps as penetrating as some of the others, at least in regard to the totality of the play, but still quite intriguing.
5. Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Henry V with Jeremy Irons: quite noteworthy. Irons had just recently come from playing the role of Henry IV in the two Henry IV plays for The Hollow Crown, and his understanding of the character is remarkable. He also has a number of penetrating things to say about Henry V and its view of war in theater and in history.
6. Hamlet with David Tennant: from one of the finest actors to have played the role, a nuanced look at the character and (interestingly) what it’s like to play him on stage.

The episodes of the second season (2015) are:

1. The Taming of the Shrew with Morgan Freeman: Freeman pitches The Taming of the Shrew as the most compelling of Shakespeare’s comedies, despite its political incorrectness, and as the prototype of every Hollywood “screwball comedy” ever made.
2. Romeo and Juliet with Joseph Fiennes: Fiennes, who played Shakespeare and Romeo in Shakespeare in Love, digs into the play, its construction, and its contemporary applicability.
3. Othello with David Harewood: an intense personal investigation of the character of Othello in the context of the play by an actor who played Othello on stage in London, interleaved with perspectives from other productions.
4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Hugh Bonneville: this principally explores why audiences seem to have found A Midsummer Night’s Dream so immediately engaging, perhaps beyond any other of Shakespeare’s plays.
5. Antony and Cleopatra with Kim Cattrall: a very thoughtful exploration of the play as both a human and political document, with discussions with famous actresses who have played the role of Cleopatra. Also shows a little interior footage of the recently-completed Blackfriars Theatre next to the rebuilt Globe.
6. King Lear with Christopher Plummer: Love and the power of those who fall. A very personal glimpse into the play from the perspective of Plummer himself and a few others who have played the role of Lear, or roles close to him (especially Cordelia). Also contains a fascinating glimpse of the Nahum Tate revision of the play popular from about 1700 till 1838.

The episodes of the third season (2018) are:

1. Much Ado About Nothing with Helen Hunt. Includes selected footage from a variety of filmed versions, including a recently discovered and restored performance with Maggie Smith as Beatrice. A warm appreciation of one of Shakespeare’s most-loved comedies.
2. The Merchant of Venice with F. Murray Abraham. A nuanced exploration of one of Shakespeare’s most currently problematic plays, including a balanced and well-considered look at the issues of anti-Semitism in and around the play.
3. Measure for Measure with Romola Garai. Garai is one of only a few who would identify this intense “problem comedy” as her favorite Shakespeare play, but she makes a passionate and thoughtful plea for it as especially timely in an age where sexual exploitation has become front-page news.
4. Julius Caesar with Brian Cox: this explores what this complex play means in the turbulent eras of our modern republics. Not nearly as politically tendentious as one might fear, it does nevertheless not flinch from asking the hard questions.
5. The Winter's Tale with Simon Russell Beale: a warm and affectionate response to a very difficult and impossible-to-classify play. Beale looks at the play from various sides, to good effect.
6. Richard III with Antony Sher: Sher looks back at a role he played thirty years before, as well as bringing in snippets of various other filmed versions. Particularly (and fascinatingly) he explores the nature of audience complicity in the play.

Buy Shakespeare Uncovered (Season 1) from Amazon.

Buy Shakespeare Uncovered (Season 2) from Amazon.

Buy Shakespeare Uncovered (Season 3) from Amazon.