Shakespeare Uncovered

Shakespeare Uncovered TV Show Synopsis:

The fascinating history behind Shakespeare’s greatest plays continues with a third series of Shakespeare Uncovered, premiering Fridays, October 12–26 on PBS (check local listings) and streaming the following day at pbs.org/shakespeareuncovered and on PBS apps. The ambitious series concludes with celebrated new hosts Helen Hunt, F. Murray Abraham, Romola Garai, Brian Cox, Simon Russell Beale and Sir Antony Sher, who seamlessly weave their personal passions with history, biography, iconic performances and new analysis to tell the stories behind the stories of Shakespeare’s famous works. The final season investigates “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “Measure for Measure,” “Julius Caesar,” “The Winter’s Tale” and “Richard III.”
Produced by Blakeway Productions, 116 Films and THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET in association with PBS and Shakespeare’s Globe, each episode reveals the extraordinary world and works of William Shakespeare and the still-potent impact his plays have today. The films combine interviews with actors, directors and scholars, along with visits to key locations, clips from some of the most celebrated film and television adaptations and illustrative excerpts from the plays staged specially for the series at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
Each host has a personal connection with the play presented: Helen Hunt received rave reviews for her portrayal of Beatrice in “Much Ado About Nothing” at Los Angeles’ Kirk Douglas Theatre; F. Murray Abraham starred as Shylock in a touring production of “The Merchant of Venice;” London’s Young Vic production of “Measure for Measure” saw Romola Garai portray a 21st-century version of Isabella; Brian Cox’s Brutus in the 1977 London National Theatre production of “Julius Caesar” remains a gold standard; Simon Russell Beale drew acclaim for his role of King Leontes in “The Winter’s Tale” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music; and Sir Antony Sher gave a breakthrough performance in “Richard III” for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1984.
Shakespeare Uncovered reveals not just the elements in the play, but the history of the play itself. What sparked the creation of each of these works? Where did Shakespeare find his plots and what new forms of theater did he forge? What cultural, political and religious factors influenced his writing? How have the plays been staged and interpreted from Shakespeare’s time to now? Why at different times has each play been popular — or ignored? Why has this body of work endured so thoroughly? What, in the end, makes Shakespeare unique?