Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20160419 | Robert McCrum journeys across America tracing the origins of the country's love affair with Shakespeare. He finds Americans of all ages, races and classes who feel Shakespeare gives them a voice to express very real concerns about contemporary politics and society. He watches Henry V in Nashville set during the Civil War, sees Shakespeare performed two blocks from the US Congress where issues of politics and leadership play out both on stage and on the senate floor with an audience made up of power brokers. He meets Stephen Sondheim and actor Alec Baldwin, both great Shakespeare lovers to discuss what still makes him relevant today Producer: Maggie Ayre. Robert McCrum journeys across Obama's America in search of Shakespeare. | |
| 02 | Shakespeare In Obama's America | 20160426 | Robert McCrum goes in search of Shakespeare in 21st century America, what does he mean to Americans today? He visits the US seat of power Washington DC to discover that Shakespeare's plays are used to discuss ideas of power and politics among Washington's elite. He meets Stephen Sondheim and talks to Alec Baldwin about the prevalence of Shakespeare in American popular culture Producer: Maggie Ayre. Robert McCrum goes in search of Shakespeare in 21st-century America. Robert McCrum journeys across Obama's America in search of Shakespeare. |