Shakespeare Uncovered: Series 1

The PBS miniseries Shakespeare Uncovered is a fascinating look into some of William Shakespeare's plays.  Each episode is hosted by an actor or actress that has a connection to the play(s) they are discussing.  I appreciated the detail they provided on the plays and it inspires me to read / experience more Shakespeare plays.  I loved the series and hoped PBS would explore more of his plays.
The first series aired in February 2013, and a second series aired in February 2015.

Part One: Macbeth with Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke wants to play Macbeth and dives into the story and history of the play.  He talks to historians about the Shakespearean time frame and the story of the real Macbeth.  He also watches film and theatrical performances of the play to see how different actors interpret the story, and visits the set of "Sleep No More" a silent performance of Macbeth where the audience interacts with the story and the actors use dance and interpretive movement.

Despite being an English major and a Shakespeare fan, I have never read Macbeth.  I know the basic story and the iconic lines.  It was interesting to hear the history and to see excerpts from the various film versions of the play and to see the Royal Shakespeare Company rehearsals.  In 2013, Ethan Hawke played Macbeth on Broadway, but was not considered a critical success.


Part Two: The Comedies with Joely Richardson
Joely Richardson talks about the strong female characters found in Shakespeare's comedies, specifically "Twelfth Night" and "As You Like It."  The main characters in these two plays are women, and women that dress as men for part of the play.  With some help from her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, she looks at the women in these comedies and how Shakespeare's life is reflected in his comedies (twins are a common theme, and he had twins).

I first discovered Twelfth Night in college, and fell in love with the story (although I have not loved the film versions of the play).  I want to read As You Like It, because Rosalind sounds like a fascinating character and Shakespeare comedies are so interesting.  I enjoyed the discussions of the strong female characters found in Shakespeare's plays.  Vanessa Redgrave starred in As You Like It in 1961 and is considered one of the notable performances of the play.


Part Three: Richard II with Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek Jacobi explores the play and the history of King Richard II.  Jacobi starred in Richard II as part of the BBC Television Shakespeare adaptations.  He studies the history of Richard II and how his life is portrayed in the play, using his own performance and the Royal Shakespeare Company rehearsals.

I am least familiar with Shakespeare's histories, having only read Julius Caesar.  I also am not familiar with the history of King Richard II.  It is interesting that the actions of Richard II mirror the events occurring when the play was performed.  It is also interesting that there are no straight film versions of the play.  The play has been filmed or staged by BBC Television, but it has never been a stand-alone film.  This episode features clips from the BBC's The Hollow Crown: Richard II (which is the reason I found, watched and wrote about The Hollow Crown films).


Part Four: Henry IV & Henry V with Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons discusses the enduring appeal of the history plays about King Henry IV and King Henry V.  He focuses on the father-son relationship at the core of these plays, along with the sources Shakespeare used to write some of the iconic speeches in these plays.

Irons starred in Henry IV in the BBC Two's The Hollow Crown: King Henry IV, Part I and King Henry IV, Part II.  Like the Richard II episode, this featured clips from the BBC's The Hollow Crown series and is the reason I discovered that miniseries.


Part Five: Hamlet with David Tennant
David Tennant starred in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Hamlet in 2009.  He interviews other actors who have portrayed Hamlet to discuss the challenges of playing the character.  They also explore the enduring quality of the play and how is continually resonates with audiences and is considered one of the best Shakespeare tragedies.

Like most people, I read Hamlet in high school (and in college) and I have seen 2 of the film versions of the play (along with a theater production).  It is a play that is often discussed and quoted, and this is a fascinating discussion of the play and what it means to the actors that step into Hamlet's shoes.


Part Six: The Tempest with Trevor Nunn
Sir Trevor Nunn is an acclaimed director who has directed 30 of Shakespeare's 37 plays.  He looks at Shakespeare's last play The Tempest, which is seen as an autobiographical play as Shakespeare bid farewell to the stage and his life drew to an end.  Nunn looks at the supernatural story and the role of special effects in the story.  It also features clips from the 2010 film The Tempest and interviews with it's director, Julie Taymor, and star Helen Mirren.

I read The Tempest for a class project, but have never seen any of the film or theatre productions of the play.  Unlike the other entries in this miniseries, Nunn approaches the story as a director and focuses more on the theatrical elements of the play (while the other episodes were narrated by actors and focused on how to portray the characters).