Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Players Are Here | 20041004 | 20241216 (BBC7) 20241217 (BBC7) |  A reconstruction of Shakespeare's life, work and the age he lived in. As a young schoolboy in Stratford upon Avon, William studied Latin. Actors visited the family home when Shakespeare was five and in 1575 Queen Elizabeth I stayed for 19 days at Kenilworth with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester. It's probable that John Shakespeare would have taken his son to see the elaborate shows put on in her honour. Stephen Greenblatt is the author of Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare published in 2004. Other extracts read by Alice Hart and John Rowe How the young Shakespeare encountered theatre for the first time. Stephen Greenblatt's reconstruction of Shakespeare's life and era. Read by Toby Stephens Reconstructing the life, work and era of William Shakespeare - the Bard gets his first taste of theatre. Read by Toby Stephens. |
| 02 | Married In Haste | 20041005 | 20241217 (BBC7) 20241218 (BBC7) | In the summer of 1582, Will was 18 and met his future wife, Anne Hathaway who was 26. By the summer he was making love to her, later they married when she was pregnant and soon after their first child was born. Anne was her own boss. Her father had died, leaving her some money, making her free to make her own decisions. Anne offered a compelling dream of pleasure. Love-making in the sense of intense courting and loving was one of Shakespeare's major themes in his writing - as was the married state - happy or unhappy. In the summer of 1583, 19-year-old Shakespeare had a new born daughter and by 1585 the couple had twins. At some point shortly after, Shakespeare made his way to London, turning his back on wife and children. Could he have joined the Queen's Men, a touring acting group who had visited Stratford? Written by Stephen Greenblatt Excerpts read by Alice Hart and John Rowe 18-year-old Will becomes involved with an older woman. Stephen Greenblatt's reconstruction of Shakespeare's life and era. Read by Toby Stephens William and Anne start a family - but Will already has ambitions beyond Stratford. Read by Toby Stephens. |
| 03 | A Fair Youth | 20041006 | 20241218 (BBC7) 20241219 (BBC7) | Arriving in London in the 1580s, Shakespeare moved to Bankside where whorehouses sat beside theatres. New works were needed. Shakespeare would have seen Tamburlaine by his contemporary, the university educated Christopher Marlowe. Then audiences flocked to see Shakespeare's own Henry VI's plays. By the time his main literary rivals were dead, Richard III and his comedies were staged. And could the 'young and fantastical' Earl of Southampton have inspired Shakespeare's finest love sonnets? Written by Stephen Greenblatt Read by Toby Stephens, with excerpts read by Alice Hart and John Rowe The Bard's career in London takes off, amidst the extremes and excesses of the big city. Stephen Greenblatt's reconstruction of Shakespeare's life and era. Read by Toby Stephens A world of vice and entertainment - the Bard makes his name in London and meets a muse for his sonnets. Read by Toby Stephens. |
| 04 | Grief And The Globe | 20041007 | 20241219 (BBC7) 20241220 (BBC7) | A reconstruction of the life, work and era of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare returned to Stratford because his only son Hamnet dies. A new theatre is completed on Bankside. Queen Elizabeth's death in 1603 meant Shakespeare's company is renamed the King's Men. In 1606, the King of Denmark came to visit his daughter Queen Anne and King James. They go to see Macbeth at the theatre. King James had a preoccupation with witchcraft.... Written by Stephen Greenblatt Read by Toby Stephens, with excerpts read by Alice Hart and John Rowe William faces the death of his 11-year-old son Hamnet and sees a new theatre built. Stephen Greenblatt's reconstruction of Shakespeare's life and era. Read by Toby Stephens William's young son Hamnet dies, a new theatre is built at Southwark and King James goes to Macbeth. Read by Toby Stephens. |
| 05 LAST | The Fading Pageant | 20041008 | 20241220 (BBC7) 20241221 (BBC7) | Reconstructing the life, work and era of William Shakespeare. At 40, William starts to reflect on old age. He finds inspiration for his play King Lear, writes his final work for the stage - The Tempest. After the Globe is burnt down, he returns to Warwickshire and to his family. Will in the World - How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare is written by Stephen Greenblatt Excerpts read by Alice Hart and John Rowe At 40, the Bard meditates on old age and writes King Lear. Stephen Greenblatt's reconstruction of Shakespeare's life and era. Read by Toby Stephens William reflects on old age, writes King Lear and The Tempest - then after a fire, he leaves London. Concluded by Toby Stephens. |
| OMNI | 20241222 | 20241223 (BBC7) | 
A reconstruction of the Bard's life, work and the age he lived in.... The young William Shakespeare has his first encounter with the heady world of theatre. Written by Stephen Greenblatt Omnibus of five parts abridged by Miranda Davies Other extracts read by: Alice Hart John Rowe First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2004. Young Shakespeare's first encounter with theatre. The young Shakespeare has his first brush with actors and performance. Read by Toby Stephens. From 2004. Producer: Emma Harding The young William Shakespeare has his first brush with actors and performance. Read by Toby Stephens. |