Synopsis
The identity of the author of Shakespeare's plays is a contentious matter. This programme talks to some of the literary detectives whose search for the real Will Shakespeare has become the work of a lifetime. Many defend Stratford Will whilst others claim he was Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon or Queen Elizabeth I!
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.