15.05.03
Michael
Wood brings Shakespeare to life
Little
is known about the world's most universally celebrated great writer,
William Shakespeare, and until now it has been assumed that the
important details of his life must remain a mystery. How were his
works inspired? What kind of a life did he live in London? What
was his family background? How did he relate to his wife and children?
Who was the Dark Lady of the sonnets?
In
his new four-part Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ2 television series, In Search of Shakespeare,
due to screen at the end of June, historian Michael Wood has painstakingly
put together a brilliant piece of historical investigative journalism
to provide a fresh narrative of Shakespeare's life. Rather than
approaching Shakespeare as an isolated genius, Michael argues that
he was very much a product of his place and time - a period of great
upheaval that straddled the medieval and modern worlds.
The
fascinating four-part series will be released by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide on
July 7th, 2003 on both VHS and DVD, priced at Β£14.99 and Β£19.99
respectively. Michael's depth of scholarship and enormous enthusiasm
for his subject combine to create an accessible and entertaining
watch, which will bring Shakespeare to life and enhance the enjoyment
and understanding of his work.
Some
of the detail in the series is extraordinary, from the probable
source of inspiration for the name of King Lear's youngest and favourite
daughter Cordelia, and the pubs where Shakespeare was a regular,
to his troubled tax affairs and the background to his traumatic
year while writing the sonnets. The series uses actors to recreate
scenes from Shakespeare's plays in original settings, examines documentary
evidence such as police records, verbatim interrogations and torture
records of dissidents and Catholic registers, and studies contemporary
maps, engravings, artefacts and paintings.
To
accompany the series, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Worldwide will also be publishing Michael
Wood's hardback book, In Search of Shakespeare, on 22nd May 2003,
priced at Β£20.00. Michael Wood is a highly acclaimed author
and TV presenter, with over 50 documentary films to his name.
|
