This ambitious series brings six new hosts to the Bard’s greatest plays, as they seamlessly weave their personal passions with history, biography, iconic performances, and new analysis to tell the stories behind the stories of Shakespeare’s famous works. Shakespeare Uncovered reveals not just the elements in the play, but the history of the play itself. What sparked the creation of each of these works? Where did Shakespeare find his plots and what new forms of theater did he forge? What cultural, political and religious factors influenced his writing? How have the plays been staged and interpreted from Shakespeare’s time to now? Why at different times has each play been popular – or ignored? Why has this body of work endured so thoroughly? What, in the end, makes Shakespeare unique? Each episode reveals the extraordinary world and works of William Shakespeare and the still-potent impact his plays have today. The films combine interviews with actors, directors, and scholars, along with visits to key locations, clips from some of the most celebrated film and television adaptations, and illustrative excerpts from the plays staged specially for the series at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Includes Six Films: Much Ado About Nothing with Helen Hunt The Merchant of Venice with F. Murray Abraham Measure for Measure with Romola Garai Julius Caesar with Brian Cox The Winter’s Tale with Simon Russell Beale Richard III with Antony Sher