A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Why so popular?

In his return to the airwaves, Sheldrake considers the extraordinary popularity of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and concludes that it is the dark matter in the middle of this festive comedy sandwich that makes the play such a satisfying experience overall.

iTunes

Amazon

Sheldrake on Shakespeare Live! London previews:

Etcetera Theatre 2nd June

Rosemary Branch Theatre 14th July

Barons Court Theatre 23rd July

Link to FringeMakers crowdfunder

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Further reading for this episode:

Anatomy of Criticism, Northrop Frye, 1957

Shakespeare’s Festive Comedy, CL Barber, 1959

Twelfth Night – Play on

Twelfth Night seems to be everyone’s favourite Shakespeare play. Why is this the case? Could it be something to do with the fact that it is a play about playing? This play is a hymn to the pleasure and virtue of playing and play wins over anti-play, though of course the real motto is that it’s the taking part that counts.

Also available on iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/ndhzfxm

Short SoS – ShakespeaRe-told by the BBC

The BBC has had its ups and downs with Shakespeare. One insufficiently well-known up was its series of Shakespeare adaptations broadcast in 2005. In this episode, Sheldrake reviews the set of four ninety-minute adaptations featuring such actors as James McAvoy, Billie Piper, Damian Lewis, Keeley Hawes, Rufus Sewell, Imelda Staunton and Jonny Vegas that would coincidentally make a great Christmas present for the Shakespeare enthusiast.

Also available on iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/ndhzfxm