Synopsis
Michael Wood focuses on the Bard's life during the reign of King James I in the final part of the documentary series. As well as a visit to the present Queen's royal robe-makers that provides evidence of Shakespeare's role in the coronation, Wood examines the popular effect of the Gunpowder Plot, to which the playwright responded with a tale of regicide, and also sheds new light on Shakespeare's strange bequest to his wife Anne in his will.
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.