Shakespeare: Thereby Hangs A Tale

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Sir Simon Russell Beale with a selection of shows about and inspired by The Bard.

Sir Simon Russell Beale's selection of shows about and inspired by The Bard: Great Lives, Shakespeare Stories, Lenny and Will, Mrs Shakespeare, Macbeth and Desmond Olivier Dingle.

A Celebration of the Swan of Avon presented by actor and broadcaster Sir Simon Russell Beale CBE. 
 
A collection of programmes from the BBC archives inspired by and about the glover's son from Stratford. In true Shakespearian style, there will be comedy, tragedy and history: 

*    Great Lives – William Shakespeare 

Matthew Parris, TV producer and novelist Daisy Goodwin and Shakespeare director Dominic Dromgoole discuss what we know, and don't know, about Will's life.(BBC Radio 4, 2011)

*    Macbeth or Unlucky For Some 

John Wells stars in a mini-Macbeth from the Edinburgh Festival of 1979. (BBC Radio 4, 1979)

*    Lenny and Will 

Comic-turned-Shakespearian Lenny Henry goes in search of the Bard in a programme which indirectly led to him playing Othello. With Dame Judi Dench and Sir Peter Hall.(BBC Radio 4, 2006)

*    Mrs Shakespeare

Dramatisation of Robert Nye's raunchy novel inspired by Shakespeare's will: "Item: I gyve unto my wief my second best bed with the furniture." Stars Maggie Steed and Kenneth Cranham as William and Anne.  (BBC Radio 4, 1998) 

*    Shakespeare Stories – Romeo & Juliet 

Professor Carol Rutter explores Shakespeare's use of literary sources for his plots .(BBC Radio 4, 2005)

*    Hark! (clip)  attempts to uncover the sounds of Shakespeare's London. (BBC Radio 3, 2008)  

*    Desmond Olivier Dingle's Compleat Life and Works of William Shakespeare (BBC Radio 4, 1995)

Comedy featuring the National Theatre of Brent, which brings its 'unique' vision to Julius Caesar, with a little help from guest stars Juliet Stevenson and Harriet Walter.

Plus readings of Shakespeare's sonnets, enhanced with music and effects, featuring Sir Ian McKellen.

Producer: Nick St. George.

Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra and first broadcast in April 2012.

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