SHAKESPEARE ACROSS BBC TV, RADIO, ONLINE AND INTERACTIVE

This page lists all Shakespeare-related programming on the BBC's TV and Radio services in chronological order.

Click here for details of Shakespeare-related content from Interactive Television, bbc.co.uk and CBeebies.


Troilus and Cressida
October 30, 7pm, Radio 3
Patterson Joseph plays Troilus and Nikki Amuka-Bird plays Cressida in this new production of Shakespeare's play about the Trojan war. With original music by David Pickvance.
More information about Shakespeare from the Radio 3 website

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Much Ado About Nothing
7 November, 8.30pm BBC ONE
Sarah Parish, Damian Lewis and Billie Piper star David Nichols' updating of this much-loved comedy, set in the studios of Wessex TV.
Much Ado About Nothing website

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O
08 November, 9pm BBC FOUR
Premiere of the 2001 film starring Mekhi Phifer and Josh Hartnett, which takes the story of Othello and sets it in an American prep school.

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Richard II: Live from the Globe
08 November, 11.40pm BBC FOUR
Starring Mark Rylance and directed by Tim Carroll, this all-male interpretation aims to replicate the authentic Shakespearean experience as accurately as possible. Repeated from January 2004.
More about Richard II on BBC FOUR

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Much Ado About Nothing
November 13, 7.15pm, Radio 3
David Tennant and Samantha Spiro star as bickering lovers Beatrice and Benedick in this comedy, repeated from September 2001.
Much Ado About Nothing website

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Macbeth
November 14, 8.30pm, BBC ONE
Shakespeare's most famous tragedy is relocated to the heated world of a top London restaurant kitchen. Starring James McAvoy and Keeley Hawes.
Macbeth website

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In Search of Shakespeare episode one
November 14, 11.20pm, BBC TWO
Michael Wood takes on a historical detective story when he explores Shakespeare's mysterious life and the exciting times in which he lived. Repeated from 2003.
BBC History In search of Shakespeare website

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Afternoon Reading: Shakespeare Stories
November 14 - 18, 3.30-3.45pm Radio 4
A week of readings from the stories that inspired Shakespeare, introduced by Carol Rutter.

Monday 14 November: The Tragical Historye of Romeus and Juliette, a poem by Arthur Brooke. Read by Prunella Scales

Tuesday 15 November: Hecatommithi (Othello) by Giraldi Cinthio. Read by Simon Russell Beale

Wednesday 16 November: Macbeth from Holinshed Chronicles. Read by Steven Boxer

Thursday 17 November: Measure for Measure from 'Promos and Cassandra' by George Whetstone. Read by Claire Skinner

Friday 18 November: The Winter's Tale from Pandosto. Read by Gerard Murphy
Radio 4 Shakespeare website

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Looking for Richard
15 November, 10pm BBC FOUR
Al Pacino's 1996 documentary investigation into Shakespeare's Richard III, including interviews with Sir John Gielgud, Kenneth Branagh and Vanessa Redgrave.
More information about Looking For Richard from the BBC Four website

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Peter Brook's Hamlet
19 November, 11.55pm BBC FOUR
A pared down, taut and mesmerising production, starring Adrian Lester and filmed at Peter Brooke's Bouffe du Nord Theatre, Paris. Repeated from 6 March 2002.
BBC Four website

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Twelfth Night
20 November, 7.50pm BBC FOUR
Trevor Nunn's 1996 film version of Shakespeare's romantic comedy full of cross-dressing and mistaken identity. Starring Helena Bonham-Carter, Nigel Hawthorne, Imogen Stubbs, Ben Kingsley and Imelda Staunton.
BBC FOUR website

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Macbeth
November 20, 8.30pm, Radio 3
Ken Stott plays Macbeth and Phyllis Logan Lady Macbeth in this repeat from November 2000, directed and introduced by Sir Richard Eyre.
More information about Shakespeare from the Radio 3 website

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The Taming of the Shrew
November 21, 8.30pm, BBC ONE
Shirley Henderson, Rufus Sewell and Stephen Tompkinson star in this glamour-filled updating of Shakespeare's battle of the sexes comedy.
The Taming of the Shrew website

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In Search of Shakespeare episode two
November 22, 11.20pm, BBC TWO
Michael Wood takes on a historical detective story when he explores Shakespeare's mysterious life and the exciting times in which he lived. Repeated from 2003.
BBC History In search of Shakespeare website

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A Waste of Shame
22 November, 9pm, BBC FOUR | Repeated 23 November, 12.40am, 27 November, 10pm, 28 November, 1.55pm
Drama by William Boyd about the passionate and destructive love triangle that consumed Shakespeare in his troubled middle years which adapts some of the most celebrated love poems ever written.
A Waste of Shame website

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The Theatre Biz: The Shakespeare Job
22 November, 10.30pm, rpt 23 November 2.40am BBC FOUR
Documentary following the trials and tribulations of theatre company Bill Shakespeare's Edinburgh Fringe show - will it prove a hit?
More information on The Theatre Biz from the BBC Four website

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Storyville: Much Ado About Something
22 November, 23.30pm BBC FOUR
Australian director Mike Rubbo examines the authenticity of Shakespeare's work, and asks if the Avon glovemaker's son really wrote all those plays.
More information about Much Ado About Something from the BBC FOUR website

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The Taming of the Shrew
November 26, 1.00pm, repeated November 27, 1.00 am, BBC7
Bob Peck and Cheryl Campbell star as Petruchio and Kate in this version of Shakespeare's sex war comedy.
BBC7 website

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Pericles
November 27, 8.00pm, Radio 3
This fast-paced, multicultural new production of Pericles stars Benjamin Zephaniah as Gower, who recounts the rise and fall in the fortunes of Pericles, Prince of Tyre over a sixteen-year odyssey.
More information about Shakespeare from the Radio 3 website

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A Midsummer Night's Dream
November 28, 8.30pm, BBC ONE
Fairies and love-juice abound in this comic tale of love set back on the right track starring Imelda Staunton, Bill Paterson, and Johnny Vegas.
A Midsummer Night's Dream website

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In Search of Shakespeare episode three
November 28, 11.20pm, BBC TWO
Michael Wood takes on a historical detective story when he explores Shakespeare's mysterious life and the exciting times in which he lived. Repeated from 2003.
BBC History In search of Shakespeare website

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Happy Endings
28 November, 10pm BBC FOUR | Repeated 29 November, 2am, 3 December 11.55pm, 4 December 2.55am
Writer Patrick Barlow presents and performs this comic history of attempts to rewrite Shakespeare. Part documentary, part staged performance it takes in the good, the bad and the outrageously camp.
BBC Four website

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A Midsummer Night's Dream
December 3 1.00pm, repeated December 4, 1.00 am, BBC7
David Threlfall, Sylvestra Le Touzel and Richard Griffith, playing Bottom, star in this version of Shakespeare's fairyland romantic comedy.
BBC7 website

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In Search of Shakespeare episode four
December 5, 11.20pm, BBC TWO
The last part of Michael Wood's exploration of Shakespeare's mysterious life and the exciting times in which he lived. Repeated from 2003.
BBC History In search of Shakespeare website

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Interactive Television - Shakespeare's Stories
During transmission run of the BBC ONE dramas.
As a compliment to BBC ONE's four films, the Shakespeare Interactive service will give viewers the chance to play with Shakespeare's language and deconstruct his texts.

Available through the 'red button' on digital TV after each BBC ONE adaptation, viewers will be introduced to the interactive TV experience by actor David Oyelowo.

Here they will have a chance to view a scene from the drama in the original text and examine the story from four different angles.
Shakespeare Interactive Online

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60 Second Shakespeare
An ongoing online project.
The BBC is looking for UK school students to take up the challenge of creating their own sixty second interpretation of Shakespeare. Make a one-minute film or audio, for publication on the website.
60 Second Shakespeare website

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CBeebies - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Introduce the tinies to Shakespeare's work with this enchanting animated version of his romantic fairyland comedy. Part of the CBeebies story circle website.
Watch A Midsummer Night's Dream

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One Night of Shakespeare
Spring 2005.
The BBC's biggest ever off-air drama event, One Night of Shakespeare took place on July 3 2005, and saw 100 theatres across Britain play host to 400 hugely successful productions of Shakespeare, featuring over 10,000 students.
One Night of Shakespeare website

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