Best Shakespeare Podcasts (2024)

1
Gamut, a Musical Scale for the 16th Century 29:13

1h ago29:13

29:13

All 4 of Shakespeare’s references to the word “gamut” show up in his play Taming of the Shrew where the characters talk about learning, and teaching, the “gamut.” If you’ve ever heard the expression “run the gamut” or “cover the gamut” these expressions are based on an 11th century understanding of the word “gamut” developed by the musician and mon…

1
King Lear | Episode 43 - Poor Tom 12:49

1h ago12:49

12:49

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene ii - Edgar appears, and explains his startling plan.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
OLLI OLLI Oxenford! 1:21:19

2d ago1:21:19

1:21:19

By listener request, Steven welcomes the double bill of Dr. Earl Showerman and Tom Woosnam, who both return to the series to discuss their involvement with teaching classes for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Earl and Tom share insights into how to create and teach a class at your local OLLI location, fun stories about their experiences, rea…

1
Farah Karim-Cooper on The Great White Bard (Rebroadcast) 32:03

4h ago32:03

32:03

Can you love Shakespeare and be an antiracist? Farah Karim-Cooper’s book The Great White Bard explores the language of race and difference in Shakespeare’s plays. Dr. Karim-Cooper also looks at the ways Shakespeare’s work became integral to Britain’s imperial project and its sense of cultural superiority.But, for all this, Karim-Cooper is an unapol…

1
The Gunpowder Plot 43:54

4h ago43:54

43:54

Tomorrow night, November 5, is when many in England will celebrate an occasion known as Bonfire Night. They celebrate this day to mark the moment King James I was saved from the Gunpowder Plot (along with many in his government) when Guy Fawkes was thwarted in his attempt to blow up England’s Parliament using gunpowder hidden beneath the building d…

1
King Lear | Episode 42 - Enormous State 10:44

13m ago10:44

10:44

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene ii - Gloucester and Kent share a kind word, before Kent addresses his state. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
252 Much Ado About Conclusions 1:13:45

4d ago1:13:45

1:13:45

Much Ado About Nothing – Act V scene 2, 3, 4 Benedick is boastful, Beatrice too witty, Hero too innocent, Claudio’s a fool, yet love finds a way to work it all out.

1
Witch Trials During Shakespeare’s Lifetime 33:49

2d ago33:49

33:49

Shakespeare made the three witch sisters famous in his play, Macbeth, by showcasing their manupulative power, encantations, and their famous pot of double double toil and trouble. While this version of witches makes for a fun spoof at Halloween parties today, when Shakespeare was originally bringing these sisters to life on stage, witches were not …

1
King Lear | Episode 41 - Too Old To Learn 11:36

3d ago11:36

11:36

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene ii - Kent argues against his punishment, but not even Gloucester can help him. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
Shakespearean Know-It-Alls 1:22:36

5d ago1:22:36

1:22:36

Steven welcomes Dr. Ros Barber to this episode to discuss her books, her research, her successful online class on the Shakespeare Authorship Mystery, and what it's like to get sued for defamation by a Shakespearean Know-It-All. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com and becoming …

1
How Shakespeare Revolutionized Tragedy, with Rhodri Lewis 33:16

8d ago33:16

33:16

Shakespeare is often associated with tragedy, but did you know that he changed the genre? In this episode, Rhodri Lewis, professor of English at Princeton University and author of Shakespeare’s Tragic Art, explores how Shakespeare redefined tragedy in ways that still feel modern today. Through a close examination of plays like Titus Andronicus, Rom…

1
Revenge Plays, Madness, Murder, and Ghosts 27:55

10d ago27:55

27:55

Revenge Tragedy is a genre of plays, applied posthumously to Shakespeare's works. Just like modern day film and tv has genres like romance, western, or comedy, plays of Shakespeare’s lifetime had these categories, too, and today we're going to explore a particular subcategory of tragedy known as Revenge Tragedies. While the genre itself didn't exis…

1
King Lear | Episode 40 - Radiant Fire 12:24

9d ago12:24

12:24

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene ii - Kent continues to enrage Oswald and confound Cornwall. But punishment looms...Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

151
Henry VI, part 2 chapter 2

22d ago

—

Henry VI, part 2 chapter 2 --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Twitter: @pendantweb Facebook: facebook.com/pendantaudio Tumblr: pendantaudio.tumblr.com YouTube: youtube.com/pendantproductions

1
Episode 1 - Twin Peaks - We Return 57:23

18d ago57:23

57:23

The Bicks are back! Nearly 8 years after we started our podcast, and ten since the gum we liked was clearly coming back in style, we've returned from our year-long hiatus to revisit an old favourite: Twin Peaks. We talk about the fandom of the show itself, its lasting impressions on us, and whether or not it has impacted television the way the orig…

1
Night Walking, Link Boys, and Artificial Light 29:06

16d ago29:06

29:06

In 1552, a lexicographer gave us the word “noctivagation” which means walking around at night. The word itself was a legal term for Shakespeare’s lifetime, used to describe someone that wandered around at night without any particular purpose. Vagrancy, on the whole, was frowned upon for Shakespeare’s lifetime, but vagrancy at night was viewed with …

1
King Lear | Episode 39 - Cackling Home to Camelot 13:18

18d ago13:18

13:18

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene ii - Cornwall questions Kent's anger - and gets some curious answers. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
Lightning Bolt Moments 43:35

18d ago43:35

43:35

Steven shares some insight into messages and suggestions he has received from members of the Quiller Nation, some "lightning bolt moments" sparking ideas for future episodes, and a look at things to come in the near future for fellow Quillers to anticipate. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontqui…

1
Tabitha Stanmore on Practical Magic in Shakespeare’s England 30:41

22d ago30:41

30:41

Forget witches, broomsticks, and cauldrons bubbling over—when it came to real magic in Shakespeare’s time, most people turned to their local cunning folk. These magical practitioners wielded spells to cure illnesses, recover lost items, and even spark a bit of romance. Far from the dark, devilish image popularly associated with witchcraft, cunning …

1
Collaboration and Influence on Shakespeare's Plays 56:54

23d ago56:54

56:54

When Shakespeare was writing plays in the 16th to early 17th century, he was participating in an industry that was both established, as well as rapidly evolving. Shakespeare himself ushered in innovation for the theater industry, while the bard, along with his contemporaries, equally embraced long held traditions that included shamelessly copying o…

1
King Lear | Episode 38 - Thou Unnecessary Letter 13:16

24d ago13:16

13:16

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene ii - Reinforcements answer Oswald's cries for help, but Kent's insults keep coming. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
Beavers Extinct in England by the 16th Century 30:49

30d ago30:49

30:49

In Henry IV Part 1, Vernon refers to the clothing of young Harry saying “I saw young Harry, with his beaver on…” There are at least 6 other references to the large, semi-aquatic rodent known as the beaver to be found in Shakespeare’s plays, and while many of Shakespeare’s references are talking about the helmet feature that opens and closes on the …

1
King Lear | Episode 37 - Carbonado Your Shanks 9:30

1M ago9:30

9:30

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene ii - Kent continues attacking Oswald.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
King Lear | Episode 35 - Virtue and Obedience 7:48

1M ago7:48

7:48

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene i - Cornwall and Regan explain the purpose of their visit, ending the scene and hinting at the approaching showdown.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
King Lear | Episode 36 - Lipsbury Pinfold 13:55

1M ago13:55

13:55

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene ii - Kent and Oswald meet outside Gloucester's home. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
Caesar and the Art of Oral Advocacy 48:02

1M ago48:02

48:02

Steven takes a deep dive into "Julius Caesar" and the aspects of legal knowledge found in the play. He specifically examines the art of oral advocacy demonstrated throughout the play and especially through the funeral speeches delivered by Brutus and Antony. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontqu…

1
251 Much Ado About Conviction 1:31:30

1M ago1:31:30

1:31:30

Much Ado About Nothing – Act V scene 1 Claudio and the Prince are confronted with opposition and catastrophe.

1
Will Tosh on the Hidden Queer Lives of William Shakespeare 35:10

1M ago35:10

35:10

How did Shakespeare engage with the complexities of gender and sexuality in his time? Was his portrayal of cross-dressing and same-sex attraction simply for comedic effect, or did it reflect a deeper understanding of queer desire? In this episode, host Barbara Bogaev speaks with scholar Will Tosh, who delves into these questions through his new boo…

1
Beaver Pelts Used for Everything From Hats to Medicine 33:10

1M ago33:10

33:10

During Shakespeare's lifetime England, along with other European nations, began intentional exploration to the New World, where they not only established colonies but established commerce relationships with the native tribes they found there. Exchanges in what the Dutch West India Company called ‘New Netherland’ included trades of beaver pelts and …

1
Raising Geese in Shakespeare's England 24:45

1M ago24:45

24:45

After the image of William Shakespeare himself, perhaps the most famous objects associated with William Shakespeare has to be the quill pen, but was this pen actually made of goose feathers, and if so, how was it made? Of course the quill pen is far from the only use for geese in the 16-17th century, as reflected in Shakespeare’s plays where the ba…

1
The Price of Authorship Studies 1:22:41

2M ago1:22:41

1:22:41

Steven welcomes Diana Price to this episode to discuss her seminal work, "Shakespeare's Unorthodox Biography," now heralding truth about the importance of authorship markers for more than two decades. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com and becoming a Patron at http://www.patr…

1
Henry VI, part 2 chapter 1

2M ago

—

Henry VI, part 2 chapter 1 --Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts!-- Website: pendantaudio.com Twitter: @pendantweb Facebook: facebook.com/pendantaudio Tumblr: pendantaudio.tumblr.com YouTube: youtube.com/pendantproductions

1
Throughlines, with Ayanna Thompson and Ruben Espinosa 32:52

2M ago32:52

32:52

How can educators effectively incorporate discussions about race into the study of Shakespeare and other premodern texts in the college classroom? Barbara Bogaev speaks with scholars Ayanna Thompson and Ruben Espinosa about Throughlines, a pedagogical resource developed by the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Arizona State Uni…

1
Toothbrushes, Toothpicks, and Oral Care 43:15

2M ago43:15

43:15

The Clown in Alls Well That Ends Well talks about picking his teeth, and Coriolanus gives an admonishment about hygiene when he says “Bid them wash their faces And keep their teeth clean.” John Holland in Henry VI Part 2 talks about having teeth pulled, and in the Winter’s Tale the clown talks about being able to identify a nobleman by how he picks…

1
King Lear | Episode 34 - Expense and Waste 11:19

2M ago11:19

11:19

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene i - Cornwall and Regan arrive, full of questions and ideas about what's been happening in Gloucester's house. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
Julius Caesar: Act V (rerun) 1:14:57

2M ago1:14:57

1:14:57

This episode is brought to you The Classic Learning Test - a fantastic alternative to the ACT and SAT. Learn more at cltexam.com. Welcome back to The Play's the Thing, where we're working through Shakespeare one act at a time. Today Heidi, Brian, and Matt discuss Act V of Julius Caesar, focusing on the nature of tragedy, Shakespearean chiastic stru…

1
Single, Independent, Women in the 16th century 26:11

2M ago26:11

26:11

You may be surprised to learn that marriage in the 16th century was not required, nor a foregone conclusion, for all women of this time period. In addition to spinsters, who were older women that had never been married, there were widows that lost their husband, women who were divorced or separated from their husbands, and still some women who our …

1
King Lear | Episode 33 - Natural Boy 11:01

2M ago11:01

11:01

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene i - Edmund's plot thickens, and Gloucester makes a decision.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
250 Much Ado About Interrogation 39:24

2M ago39:24

39:24

Much Ado About Nothing – Act IV scene 2 Dogberry goes about to examine the malefactors in the eftest way.

1
Conspiracy Realist 1:46:18

2M ago1:46:18

1:46:18

Steven welcomes fellow podcaster and the host of Conspiracy Realist, Shane Skwarek, to this episode to discuss Shane's discovery of the Shakespeare Authorship Mystery, how it compares to other conspiracy theories he has studied, and what actually qualifies as a conspiracy. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandis…

1
Julius Caesar: Act IV (rerun) 1:07:58

2M ago1:07:58

1:07:58

Welcome back to The Play's the Thing, where Heidi, Matt, and Brian discussing Julius Caesar. This episode is all about act IV and topics of conversation include the shifting dynamics in the aftermath of Caesar's death + suicide, failed rhetoric, and the tension between conspirators. Remember: subscribe, rate, review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/…

1
Juliet, Then and Now, with Sophie Duncan 37:23

2M ago37:23

37:23

Was Romeo and Juliet your first brush with Shakespeare? Whether it was on stage, on screen in films by Franco Zeffirelli or Baz Luhrmann or Shonda Rhimes' Still Star-Crossed, or in the pages of the Folger Shakespeare edition, your early experience probably shaped how you see Juliet. Over 400 years, our thinking about Shakespeare's first tragic hero…

1
Atheism in Shakespeare's England 51:57

2M ago51:57

51:57

To live in England during Shakespeare’s lifetime was to be Protestant, or at least as far as the Queen was concerned. The lack of religious freedom in early modern England doesn’t mean alternate belief systems did not exist, only that they were hidden. One powerful belief system that riled up conservative members of society and incited objection pa…

1
King Lear | Episode 32 - The Murderous Coward 11:59

2M ago11:59

11:59

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene i - Gloucester arrives, eager to learn where Edgar is.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
Julius Caesar: Act III (rerun) 1:11:39

2M ago1:11:39

1:11:39

Welcome back to The Play's the Thing where we're talking Shakespeare one act at a time. This week, Heidi, Matt, and Brian discuss Julius Caesar, Act III. There's lots of speech-making in this act so, yeah, they discuss that. And ambiguous characters. And whether stabbing Caesar was justified. And the enigma of Mark Antony. And more. Enjoy! Hosted o…

1
Accidental Deaths 41:16

2M ago41:16

41:16

Deaths were a common occurrence on stage for Shakespeare’s characters, but the wild and often macabre deaths we see in his plays were not actually far off from the deaths that occurred in real life for the 16-17th century. From poisonings to beheadings, one person who knew a lot about how people died in Shakespeare’s lifetime was the coroner who jo…

1
King Lear | Episode 31 - My Father 11:11

3M ago11:11

11:11

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act II Scene i - Edmund shows us just how determined he is to frame his brother. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
Julius Caesar: Act II (rerun) 1:09:17

2M ago1:09:17

1:09:17

Welcome back to The Play's the Thing where contributors from the Close Reads Podcast Network discuss Shakespeare's canon one act at a time. In this episode, Heidi White, Matt Bianco, and Brian Phillips continue discussion of Julius Caesar, with discussion touching on friendship, brooding, what makes rhetoric effective, and why men involved in polit…

1
Remembering Alexander Waugh 1:19:20

3M ago1:19:20

1:19:20

Steven is joined by frequent guest, Dr. Earl Showerman, to deliver a farewell to Oxfordian luminary Alexander Waugh, whose recent passing has been felt across the literary spectrum, and most among the Oxfordian community. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com and becoming a Patr…

1
Completing the Canon: Barry Edelstein on The Old Globe's Henry 6 37:34

3M ago37:34

37:34

This summer San Diego’s Old Globe became one of only 10 theaters in America who have produced all of Shakespeare’s plays (or 11, depending on how you count it) with their production of Henry VI, parts 1, 2, and 3. Artistic Director Barry Edelstein shares the details of how they tackled staging three rarely seen works with more than 150 characters, …

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