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Making a selection of objects from the British Museum and collections across the UK, Neil MacGregor uncovers the stories they tell about Shakespeare's world.

Updated: occasionally
Episodes available: indefinitely

Episodes to download

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    20. Shakespeare Goes Global

    Fri 11 May 2012

    20/20 How a folio of collected plays in 1623 began the creation of a global phenomenon.

  • 19. The Theatres of Cruelty

    Thu 10 May 2012

    19/20 A human eyeball in a silver setting gives a striking insight into the theatre of cruelty.

  • 18. London Becomes Rome

    Wed 9 May 2012

    18/20 Neil MacGregor surveys the triumphal arches created for James I's entry into London.

  • 17. Plague and the Playhouse

    Tue 8 May 2012

    17/20 Early 17th-century proclamations reveal the impact of the 1603 plague outbreak.

  • 16. A Time of Change, a Change of Time

    Mon 7 May 2012

    16/20 A striking clock reveals the changing relationship Shakespeare's audiences had to time.

  • 15. The Flag That Failed

    Fri 4 May 2012

    15/20 The problems in creating a Great Britain are encapsulated in designs for a common flag.

  • 14. Disguise and Deception

    Thu 3 May 2012

    14/20 A pedlar's trunk reveals deception and religion, cross-dressing and travelling salesmen.

  • 13. From London to Marrakech

    Wed 2 May 2012

    13/20 Sunken gold from West Africa sheds light on England's complex relationship with the Moors.

  • 12. Sex and the City

    Tue 1 May 2012

    12/20 Neil MacGregor on how a delicate glass goblet reveals the twin seductions of Venice.

  • 11. Treason and Plots

    Mon 30 Apr 2012

    11/20 Tabloid history of Shakespeare's England via contemporary accounts of royal murder plots.

  • 10. Toil and Trouble

    Fri 27 Apr 2012

    10/20 A model ship hung in a church reveals the differences between Scottish and English witches

  • 9. New Science, Old Magic

    Thu 26 Apr 2012

    9/20 A disc of black obsidian from Mexico reflects the Elizabethan fascination with astrology.

  • 8. City Life, Urban Strife

    Wed 25 Apr 2012

    8/20 Neil MacGregor explores life in Shakespeare's London through an apprentice's woollen cap.

  • 7. Ireland: Failures in the Present

    Tue 24 Apr 2012

    7/20 A rare woodcut offers an insight into the troubles and tragedies of Elizabethan Ireland.

  • 6. Europe: Triumphs of the Past

    Mon 23 Apr 2012

    6/20 What Henry V's armoury tells us about the depiction of history on the Elizabeth stage.

  • 5. Swordplay and Swagger

    Fri 20 Apr 2012

    5/20 Neil MacGregor explores the essential accoutrements of any self-respecting gentleman.

  • 4. Life without Elizabeth

    Thu 19 Apr 2012

    4/20 The story behind a portrait justifying Elizabeth I's position in the Tudor succession.

  • 3. Snacking Through Shakespeare

    Wed 18 Apr 2012

    3/20 A fork found on the site of the Rose Theatre reveals what people ate in the Bard's time.

  • 2. Communion and Conscience

    Tue 17 Apr 2012

    2/20 Neil MacGregor uses the Stratford Chalice to explore the world in Shakespeare's time.

  • 1. England Goes Global

    Mon 16 Apr 2012

    1/20 Assessing the impact of Sir Francis Drake's Circumnavigation Medal.

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