The Beeb And The Bard

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

A Century Of Juliets

20221026

Actor Samuel West, who has played many Shakespearian roles - some of them on the radio - is joined by Dr Andrea Smith as they take a trip through 100 years (nearly) of Shakespeare on the 'wireless'.

Today they focus on one returning character - Juliet from Romeo and Juliet. This is without doubt the most popular play and there are wonderful very early clips of actors such as Fay Compton taking the role in 1944. We hear how sometimes the part of 14-year-old Juliet was taken by an actor old enough to be her grandmother and about the snobbery attached to the idea of how exactly Shakespeare should be spoken.

Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith

Produced by Susan Marling

A Just Radio Production

Actor Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith discuss changing styles of acting in Shakespeare.

Diversity

20221028

Once upon a time, a Shakespeare play on BBC Radio would inevitably feature actors with perfect received pronunciation. Now that has all changed. Actor Samuel West, no stranger to Shakespearian roles, is joined by Dr Andrea Smith to hear how horizons have widened and productions enriched by new voices and new settings for the plays. We'll hear about plays set in India, plays recorded in Welsh, those with characters clearly from Africa or the Caribbean and voices that are far from the cut glass of RP.

Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith

Produced by Susan Marling

A Just Radio Production

Samuel West and Andrea Smith discuss diversity in BBC radio's productions of Shakespeare.

Finding A Way

20221024

Soon after the BBC was born came the ambition to broadcast Shakespeare plays on 'the wireless'. Theatres refused to allow recording of stage versions so the BBC had to go it alone. The BBC's first Director-General, Lord Reith, thought radio well suited to the task of producing Shakespeare:

The plays of Shakespeare fulfil to a great extent the requirements of wireless, for he had little in the way of setting and scenery, and relied chiefly on the vigour of his plot and the conviction of the speakers to convey his ideas. It is not at all unlikely that wireless will render a highly important service in popularising Shakespeare.

Our series looks at how well Reith's ambition was realised. We have brilliant clips from some of the country's best loved actors who have performed Shakespeare on the radio as productions grew more sophisticated, as acting styles changed and as radio's production values allowed the listener to experience Shakespeare's world in the most imaginative way.

Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith

Produced by Susan Marling

A Just Radio Production

Samuel West introduces a centenary celebration of BBC radio productions of Shakespeare.

Radiophonia

20221027

By the time the BBC had come of age in the 70s and 80s, radio production had become a creative art. The Radiophonic Workshop could famously transport listeners to imagined worlds and this was certainly the case with productions of Shakespeare. Actor Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith celebrate the creativity that gave us everything from the magic of Puck and Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream to battle scenes and the horrors of the gouging of eyes in King Lear.

Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith

Produced by Susan Marling

A Just Radio Production

Samuel West and Andrea Smith discuss sound in BBC radio's productions of Shakespeare.

Shakespeare In War And Peace

20221025

Actor Samuel West is joined by Dr Andrea Smith in a journey through 100 years (nearly) of Shakespeare on the radio. You might think that the years of the Second World War would have given listeners a thirst for history plays and great stirring speeches such as those in Henry V. But in fact it was pastoral comedy that was most popular - a reminder perhaps of the idealised, imagined Britain that people were fighting to protect. We hear too how production techniques gained sophistication and that theatricality slowly gave way to realism.

Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith

Produced by Susan Marling

A Just Radio Production

Samuel West and Andrea Smith talk about performances of Shakespeare during WWII.

Episodes

Title	First Broadcast	Comments
A Century Of Juliets	20221026	Actor Samuel West, who has played many Shakespearian roles - some of them on the radio - is joined by Dr Andrea Smith as they take a trip through 100 years (nearly) of Shakespeare on the 'wireless'. Today they focus on one returning character - Juliet from Romeo and Juliet. This is without doubt the most popular play and there are wonderful very early clips of actors such as Fay Compton taking the role in 1944. We hear how sometimes the part of 14-year-old Juliet was taken by an actor old enough to be her grandmother and about the snobbery attached to the idea of how exactly Shakespeare should be spoken. Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith Produced by Susan Marling A Just Radio Production Actor Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith discuss changing styles of acting in Shakespeare.
Diversity	20221028	Once upon a time, a Shakespeare play on BBC Radio would inevitably feature actors with perfect received pronunciation. Now that has all changed. Actor Samuel West, no stranger to Shakespearian roles, is joined by Dr Andrea Smith to hear how horizons have widened and productions enriched by new voices and new settings for the plays. We'll hear about plays set in India, plays recorded in Welsh, those with characters clearly from Africa or the Caribbean and voices that are far from the cut glass of RP. Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith Produced by Susan Marling A Just Radio Production Samuel West and Andrea Smith discuss diversity in BBC radio's productions of Shakespeare.
Finding A Way	20221024	Soon after the BBC was born came the ambition to broadcast Shakespeare plays on 'the wireless'. Theatres refused to allow recording of stage versions so the BBC had to go it alone. The BBC's first Director-General, Lord Reith, thought radio well suited to the task of producing Shakespeare: The plays of Shakespeare fulfil to a great extent the requirements of wireless, for he had little in the way of setting and scenery, and relied chiefly on the vigour of his plot and the conviction of the speakers to convey his ideas. It is not at all unlikely that wireless will render a highly important service in popularising Shakespeare. Our series looks at how well Reith's ambition was realised. We have brilliant clips from some of the country's best loved actors who have performed Shakespeare on the radio as productions grew more sophisticated, as acting styles changed and as radio's production values allowed the listener to experience Shakespeare's world in the most imaginative way. Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith Produced by Susan Marling A Just Radio Production Samuel West introduces a centenary celebration of BBC radio productions of Shakespeare.
Radiophonia	20221027	By the time the BBC had come of age in the 70s and 80s, radio production had become a creative art. The Radiophonic Workshop could famously transport listeners to imagined worlds and this was certainly the case with productions of Shakespeare. Actor Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith celebrate the creativity that gave us everything from the magic of Puck and Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream to battle scenes and the horrors of the gouging of eyes in King Lear. Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith Produced by Susan Marling A Just Radio Production Samuel West and Andrea Smith discuss sound in BBC radio's productions of Shakespeare.
Shakespeare In War And Peace	20221025	Actor Samuel West is joined by Dr Andrea Smith in a journey through 100 years (nearly) of Shakespeare on the radio. You might think that the years of the Second World War would have given listeners a thirst for history plays and great stirring speeches such as those in Henry V. But in fact it was pastoral comedy that was most popular - a reminder perhaps of the idealised, imagined Britain that people were fighting to protect. We hear too how production techniques gained sophistication and that theatricality slowly gave way to realism. Presented by Samuel West and Dr Andrea Smith Produced by Susan Marling A Just Radio Production Samuel West and Andrea Smith talk about performances of Shakespeare during WWII.