Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01 | Othello | 20051114 | Extracts from five different sources that inspired five of Shakespeare's plays, introduced by Shakespeare scholar Dr Carol Rutter. Abridged by Gordon House. Taken from Italian writer Gerald Cinthio's Hecatommithi, Simon Russell Beale reads the tale of the Moor of Venice, his bitter jealousy and a tragedy born in the folds of a handkerchief. " Taken from Italian writer Gerald Cinthio's Hecatommithi, Simon Russell Beale reads the tale of the Moor of Venice, his bitter jealousy and a tragedy born in the folds of a handkerchief." 1/5. Othello Abridged by Gordon House. Taken from Italian writer Gerald Cinthio's Hecatommithi, Simon Russell Beale reads the tale of the Moor of Venice, his bitter jealousy and a tragedy born in the folds of a handkerchief." |
| 01 | 02 | The Winter's Tale | 20051115 | Abridged by Gordon House. Gerard Murphy reads Robert Greene's prose romance Pandosto, a tale of sexual jealousy and social unrest, which Shakespeare used as the basis for The Winter's Tale. "Abridged by Gordon House. Gerard Murphy reads Robert Greene's prose romance Pandosto, a tale of sexual jealousy and social unrest, which Shakespeare used as the basis for The Winter's Tale." Extracts from five different sources that inspired five of Shakespeare's plays, introduced by Shakespeare scholar Dr Carol Rutter. 2/5. The Winter's Tale Abridged by Gordon House. |
| 01 | 03 | Measure For Measure | 20051116 | Abridged by Gordon House. Shakespeare took and transformed George Whetstone's Promos and Cassandra when he wrote Measure for Measure. Claire Skinner reads the original story of corrupt justice and social sleaze. Directed by Claudine Toutoungi. Extracts from five different sources that inspired five of Shakespeare's plays, introduced by Shakespeare scholar Dr Carol Rutter. 3/5. Measure for Measure Shakespeare took and transformed George Whetstone's Promos and Cassandra when he wrote Measure for Measure. Claire Skinner reads the original story of corrupt justice and social sleaze. " Abridged by Gordon House. Directed by Claudine Toutoungi." |
| 01 | 04 | Macbeth | 20051117 | Abridged by Gordon House, read by Stephen Boxer. Shakespeare found the bloody story of Macbeth, his wife and the Weird Sisters in Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Wales. Directed by Claudine Toutoungi. "Abridged by Gordon House, read by Stephen Boxer. Directed by Claudine Toutoungi." Extracts from five different sources that inspired five of Shakespeare's plays, introduced by Shakespeare scholar Dr Carol Rutter. 4/5. Macbeth Abridged by Gordon House, read by Stephen Boxer. |
| 01 | 05 LAST | Romeo And Juliet | 20051118 | Abridged by Gordon House. Prunella Scales reads an extract from Arthur Brooke's long poem The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet, the first English account of the star-cross'd lovers. Directed by Claudine Toutoungi. "Abridged by Gordon House. Directed by Claudine Toutoungi." Extracts from five different sources that inspired five of Shakespeare's plays, introduced by Shakespeare scholar Dr Carol Rutter. 5/5. Romeo and Juliet Abridged by Gordon House. Prunella Scales reads an extract from Arthur Brooke's long poem The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet, the first English account of the star-cross'd lovers. |