Celia Imrie takes a trip through the BBC’s archive for a celebration of the works of Shakespeare, and an exploration into how the Bard’s biggest plays have been brought to cinema and television screens over the years. It’s a story that’s told through a selection of interviews with stars from the 1950s right up to the present day, with anecdotes and insights revealing how Shakespeare’s plays have been continuously adapted to suit each new generation, capturing changing attitudes to race and gender.
Amongst those featured are the established acting knights Olivier and Gielgud, dames Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, and the latest wave of big names, including David Tennant, David Harewood and Maxine Peake.
