Synopsis
Historian Michael Wood embarks on the first of a four-part investigation into the turbulent and dangerous world of Elizabethan England to chart the extraordinary life of arguably the world's greatest writer - William Shakespeare. Archival evidence, from spies' reports to a coded prison diary, reveals the fascinating dark side of Shakespeare's world. Wood traces William's early days, exploring his schooling, his father's shady business deals and the dark secret that ruined the family. Finally, in Worcester Cathedral, the riddle of Shakespeare's shotgun wedding is untangled, an event that left him a teenage father with decidedly slim career prospects.
Digging for Britain | Shakespeare's First Theatre
Alice visits excavations at Shakespeare's first theatre in London's Shoreditch, where the Bard began his career and Romeo and Juliet was first performed.
Arena | The National Theatre - Learning Zone
Made especially for schools, this version of the BBC Four Arena programme examines the history and purpose of the National Theatre as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Short films on Othello and Hamlet, using both rehearsal and performance footage, consider how the National Theatre takes a contemporary approach to Shakespeare's work.