William Shakespeare - Unknown Works
SHAKESPEARE'S UNKNOWN WORKS
The BBC has a tradition of broadcasting plays based on
Shakespeare's work or his life; often around April 23rd:
Shakespeare's birthday (He also died on 23 April).
Some of them are listed below.
I have recordings of these...if others are known by you,
please send an email.
DO NOT DISTURB ....1977
Police drama with a convoluted plot involving Shakespeare's remains. 21 Sep 77, 3.05pm, R4.
THE MAN WHO WROTE SHAKESPEARE....1978
A. Gill. R4 , 20 Apr 78, 3.05pm, R4.
NO BED FOR BACON....1980s (?)
by Brahms & Simon. Irreverent view of Shakespeare's theatre. R4 date nk. (1980s?)
HAMLET PART II....1992
by Perry Pontac. 27 Apr 92. R4. What happened next ......
in verse, too. Dir. Richard Wortley.
THE JACOBEAN BOX....1993
by Don Taylor. R4 1402 22 Apr 93. Shakespeare's manuscripts are discovered in an ancient wooden trunk .... with Stephen Moore
SHAKESPEARE: THE TRUTH....1993
A parody by Desmon Olivier Dingle and Wallace: in several 15 minute episodes. Oct 93. With Patrick Barlow. R4.
SWEET WILLIAM....1993
by P. Thomson . R4 29 Nov 93. A father and son make a pilgrimage to Stratford, obsessed with finding memorablilia of their beloved Shakespeare. With Kim Wall & Brett Usher.
PRINCE LEAR....1994
by Perry Pontac. 18 Nov 94. R4. Another witty pastiche
from this stylish writer. Dir. Richard Wortley.
THACKERAY....1995
by Olwyn Wymarck and B. Clegg. R4, 14 Dec 95.
A detective story with Shakespeare and gardening connections.
JUDITH SHAKESPEARE....1996
by Nan Woodhouse. R4, 25 Apr 96. The story of William Shakespeare's youngest daughter.
AN EPIPHANOUS USE OF THE MICROPHONE....1998
by David Pownall. R4 15 May 98, 9pm. A humorous play about producing Shakespeare's plays.
SHAKESPEARE....1998
by Robert Nye. R4, 23 Apr 98. Play about the real source of Shakespeare's plays.
ANOTHER SHAKESPEARE....2000
by Martyn Wade. R4, 19 Apr 00. With James Grout and J. Rhind-Tutt. A forger keeps finding Shakespearean manuscripts....
FATAL LOINS....2001
by Perry Pontac. R4, 1415, 29 Oct 01. A reconsideration of the story of Romeo and Juliet, summed up succinctly in the prologue:
Two households, both alike in dignity; a boy and girl by fortune cursed and blessed
A look, a glance, a kiss, a balcony; a wedding,
several killings and the rest ....
Dir. Richard Wortley.
ONE DAY....2001
by Helen Cross, R4 22 Apr. 04. The opening of the
Stratford theatre in 1932. Produced by Peter Wild; Helen's second radio play.
MACMORRIS....2004
by John Morrison. Shakespeare's minor characters
decide they want bigger and better parts. Dir. Tanya
Nash. R4. 1415. 4 Oct 04.
A SONG FOR EDMOND SHAKESPEARE....2005
By Gary Bleasdale; Fri 7 Jan, R4.
It's London, 1607: a penniless actor rushes drunkenly
through the streets lamenting the failure that is his
life. A failure made more painful because he is the
youngest brother of the rather more successful William
Shakespeare. (BBC website)
With Paul Rhys,
Helen Longworth,
Stuart McLoughlin,
Stephen Hogan,
Cherry Morris,
Nigel Barrett,
Robert Hastie,
Emily Wachter,
Hugh Dickson.
THE LATE MR. SHAKESPEARE....2008
By Robert Nye. An old man who played Viola, Juliet and Cleopatra as a boy actor finally discovers what it's like to fall in love. Jim Broadbent as Pickleherring, George Longworth as the boy, Jill Cardo as Polly, Dan Starkey as Pompey Bum. Producer Jeremy Mortimer. Friday Play, 55m. 1 Nov 08.
THE PATTERN OF PAINFUL ADVENTURES....2008
Drama on 3, 23 Nov 08. Shakespeare is looking for a collaborator to work with on his latest play: Pericles. It is also the year his favourite daughter, Susannah, is getting married.(....thanks Alistair)
10 Apr 2015: Mr. Reasonable
By Fred D'Aguiar. John Reasonable, a freed slave, is a skilled silk weaver and is employed by Shakespeare to make costumes for the Rose Theatre. He has a jealous apprentice. (Good to see a Shakespeare-related play again close to Shakespeare's birthday - Ed.) John: Fraser James, his wife: Adjoa Andoh, Shakespeare: Joseph Kloska, J.F.Weaver: Oliver Coopersmith, Kemp: Chris Pavlo, Samantha: Mya-Lecia Naylor, Joshua: Shay Spencer. Produced by David Hunter.
Lawrence Buckley adds:
I, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE - date nk
starring Martin Jarvis, incorporating snatches of the Bard's
dialogue, and relocated to Shakespeare's London.
JENKIN'S EAR (sic) - date nk
with Joss Ackland.
