Best Shakespeare Podcasts (2025)

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Inside Hamlet’s Head with Jeremy McCarter 41:43

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1d ago41:43

41:43

What if, instead of just watching Hamlet, you could step inside the prince’s mind?A revelatory new audio production reimagines Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy as a first-person experience told through Hamlet’s POV. We only hear the scenes in which he appears—every soliloquy becomes an inner monologue, every whisper a voice in our ears. With stunning b…

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Did Shakespeare Live on Trinity Lane? 21:20

13h ago21:20

21:20

A letter fragment recently rediscovered in an archive may contain the earliest surviving reference to Shakespeare’s name—and a clue to where he lived in 1596. This week, Matthew Steggle joins us to explore the evidence behind the Trinity Lane location and its connection to Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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King Lear | Episode 73 - Let Him Smell His Way to Dover 9:42

2d ago9:42

9:42

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene vii - The scene concludes with more violence, but also a trace of kindness.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Law and Emotion in Shakespeare 1:28:45

5d ago1:28:45

1:28:45

Steven welcomes professors Maciej Jonca and Katarzyna Jaworska, who join him from Poland to discuss the international seminar they hosted in Warsaw on the topic of "Law and Emotion in William Shakespeare's Plays." The June 2024 seminar featured presenters from Poland, UK, the United States, China, and India. Support the show by picking up official …

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Why the Tudors Loved Capons (and Avoided Roosters) 24:20

8d ago24:20

24:20

“He that eats my capon, shall know me better.” — All’s Well That Ends Well (Act II, Scene 2) Roasted to perfection and served at noble feasts, the capon—a castrated rooster prized for its tenderness and rich flavor—was one of the most luxurious poultry options available in Shakespeare’s England. While today the word may be unfamiliar to many, in th…

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King Lear | Episode 72 - Thy Cruel Nails 12:20

9d ago12:20

12:20

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene vii - Cornwall and Regan turn violent. A servant attempts to help Gloucester.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Minerva's Men 2:15:06

14d ago2:15:06

2:15:06

Steven welcomes Jessica Winston, professor of English at Idaho State University, to discuss her specialty in sixteenth century literature and her famous book, “Lawyers at Play,” which is a study on how the Inns of Court shaped English literature in profound ways. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.d…

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Shakespeare & Fletcher: Neighbors in 1596 London 27:38

15d ago27:38

27:38

When we think of Shakespeare collaborating with another writer, the name John Fletcher quickly comes to mind. Together they penned Two Noble Kinsmen, All is True (also known as Henry VIII), and the now-lost play Cardenio. But what do we actually know about the working relationship between these two men? Did they sit down side-by-side at a table to …

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Shakespeare, Money, and Meaning-Making 31:45

16d ago31:45

31:45

Can reading King Lear help us rethink economic policy? Can Measure for Measure shape how we talk about justice, or Hamlet help us face grief? That’s the idea behind an ambitious project at Montreal’s McGill University called Reimagining Shakespeare, Remaking Modern World Systems.Led by Laurette Dubé, professor emerita of management, and Paul Yachni…

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King Lear | Episode 71 - Such A Traitor 9:39

16d ago9:39

9:39

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene vii - Gloucester is brought before Regan and Cornwall, and tied up. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Thermometer in Shakespeare’s England 27:10

22d ago27:10

27:10

In the year 1603, just as Shakespeare was writing Othello and the reign of Elizabeth I was transitioning to James I, Galileo Galilei—famous for exploring the heavens—was also measuring the invisible. Among his lesser-known inventions was a device called the thermoscope, an elegant glass instrument that could detect changes in temperature—centuries …

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King Lear | Episode 70 - Pluck Out His Eyes 12:26

23d ago12:26

12:26

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene vii - Cornwall starts plotting Gloucester's punishment, while Goneril leaves to rejoin her husband.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Staging Hamlet in Grand Theft Auto 39:56

29d ago39:56

39:56

When live performance shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, actors Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen weren’t sure when—or if—they’d ever be onstage again. So, they turned to an unexpected venue: Grand Theft Auto Online, a sprawling, open-world video game best known for fast cars, chaotic and often criminal missions, and player-driven mayhem. Amid the…

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Commercial Fishing in Shakespeare’s England: Tools, Trade, and Fish Days 59:34

29d ago59:34

59:34

“Bait the hook well; this fish will bite.” So says Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, and he’s not alone—Shakespeare drops over 70 references to fish and fishing across his plays, from slippery metaphors to full-on fishing scenes, including actual Fishermen characters in Pericles. But behind those lines lies a very real part of daily life in Eliza…

1
King Lear | Episode 69 - A Plot of Death 13:34

1M ago13:34

13:34

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene vi - Gloucester comes back and hurries Lear and the others away to safety. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
258 Beast without a Heart 53:41

1M ago53:41

53:41

Julius Caesar – Act II scene 2, 3, 4 Calphurnia’s dreams add to Caesar’s Delma, as friends and foes hang in the balance.

1
Diving Deep with Blair Murphy 1:29:39

1M ago1:29:39

1:29:39

Steven welcomes back filmmaker Blair Murphy to discuss the pending release of his new film, "The Deep Dive," about the Shakespeare authorship mystery and how an early trailer of the film has been received. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com and becoming a Patron at http://www…

1
Wine and Winemaking in Shakespeare’s England 34:07

1M ago34:07

34:07

While Shakespeare’s plays are filled with references to ale and sack, wine played a central role in both the economy and social customs of Renaissance England. In this episode, we uncork the history of winemaking in Shakespeare’s lifetime—what kinds of grapes were grown, how wine was stored and served, and why a cold snap in the 1500s forever chang…

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Hamlet: Q&A (rerun) 1:28:37

1M ago1:28:37

1:28:37

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they answer your questions about Hamlet! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Simon Russell Beale on Shakespeare, from Hamlet to Titus 37:40

1M ago37:40

37:40

Called “the finest actor of his generation,” Sir Simon Russell Beale has played just about everyone in Shakespeare’s canon—Hamlet, Lear, Macbeth, Falstaff, Malvolio, Iago—and most recently, Titus Andronicus, for the Royal Shakespeare Company. In this episode, Beale reflects on the Shakespearean roles that have shaped his career and how his approach…

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History Behind Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet 31:03

1M ago31:03

31:03

“Romeo and Juliet” may be Shakespeare’s most famous love story—but it wasn’t entirely his own. Long before the Bard set quill to page, a tale of star-crossed lovers was already circulating in Europe. In this episode, we’re joined by filmmaker Timothy Scott Bogart, director of the new musical film Juliet & Romeo, which reimagines the lovers’ story i…

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King Lear | Episode 68 - My Tears Begin 21:52

1M ago21:52

21:52

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene vi - Lear madly attempts to prosecute his daughters for the way they have treated him. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Still Doubting Will 1:29:30

2M ago1:29:30

1:29:30

Steven welcomes the long-awaited return of John Shahan to the program to discuss updates about the activities of the Shakespeare Authorship Coalition and new signatories of the Declaration of Reasonable Doubt. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www.dontquillthepodcast.com and becoming a Patron at http:/…

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Hamlet: Act V (rerun) 1:15:44

2M ago1:15:44

1:15:44

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they discuss the concluding act to Shakespeare's masterpiece, an act in which we get the famous graveyard scene and the stage littered with bodies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Puppets Offering a Window into Shakespeare History 30:22

2M ago30:22

30:22

Shakespeare wrote his play Hamlet in the early 1600s and by the late 1600s, well after the death of William Shakespeare in 1616, playing troupes are taking plays including Shakespeare’s Hamlet and other works by early modern playwrights, and turning them into performance adaptations using a new medium---specifically, they’re using puppets. Puppetry…

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King Lear | Episode 67 - The Lake of Darkness 13:41

2M ago13:41

13:41

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene vi - Gloucester brings the others to shelter. Edgar and the Fool vie for Lear's attention. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Hamlet: Act IV (rerun) 1:16:15

2M ago1:16:15

1:16:15

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they dig into the crucial fourth act of Hamlet. They discuss Laertes coming the fore, Ophelia's tragic demise, Claudius devious behavior, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Shakespeare’s Boy Player Alexander Cooke 37:21

2M ago37:21

37:21

In Shakespeare’s time, the actresses were boys—and for the most celebrated of them, fame came early but could end abruptly with a voice change. In this episode, author Nicole Galland joins us to talk about the world of boy players, young apprentices who performed women’s roles onstage in England before 1660.Galland’s novel, Boy, follows one of thes…

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Castles in Shakespeare's Plays 59:37

2M ago59:37

59:37

Shakespeare uses the word “castle” over 40 times in his works. He talks about sieging a castle, the power of castle walls, and even mentions specific real life castles by name including Berkley Castle and “Pomfret” castle which is another name for Pontefract Castle, along with at least a dozen more. These castles were prominent features in the land…

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King Lear | Episode 66 - Evil Disposition 11:26

2M ago11:26

11:26

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene v - Cornwall appears, with Edmund in tow.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

1
Teaching the Mystery 1:22:01

2M ago1:22:01

1:22:01

Steven welcomes the return of fellow podcaster and educator John Brooks to this episode to discuss John's experience with teaching the Shakespeare Authorship Mystery to high school freshman as part of their humanities curriculum and analysis of Shakespearean works. Support the show by picking up official Don't Quill the Messenger merchandise at www…

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257 O Conspiracy 1:45:06

2M ago1:45:06

1:45:06

Julius Caesar – Act II scene 1 Brutus comes to a bloody conclusion, the faction against Caesar is set in motion, and Portia demands answers.

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Hamlet: Act III (rerun) 1:22:22

2M ago1:22:22

1:22:22

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they dive into the crucial, famous third act of Hamlet. In this episode they discuss the "to be or not to be" speech, Claudius' prayer, and Polonius death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Eyeglasses and Lenses Used After Cataract Surgery in the 16th Century 30:14

2M ago30:14

30:14

In Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff says “the appetite of her eye did seem to scorch me up like a burning-glass!” Burning glasses were a specific kind of lens, that allowed you to harness the sun’s rays to create fire. They were a predesessor on the road to later lens construction that allowed for the convex shape which allows someone to create pre…

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King Lear | Episode 65 - I Had A Son 17:35

2M ago17:35

17:35

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene iv - The scene comes to an end, not before Lear makes some more fantastical references and Edgar matches him with a famous rhyme. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Hamlet: Act II (rerun) 1:34:33

2M ago1:34:33

1:34:33

Join Tim, Heidi, and Andrew as they dive into the drama of Hamlet, Act II! They discuss the way everyone is watching everyone else in this act, Pelonius as parent, the appearance of Rosencrans and Guildenstern, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Church Bells, How They Are Made in the 16th Century 44:52

2M ago44:52

44:52

Orlando, from the play As You Like It, talks about church bells knolling, and later in that same play, the Duke talks about how we “have with holy bell been knoll'd to church.” There’s a conversation in Act II of Pericles where two fishermen discuss a parish getting swallowed by a whale, and they refer to the parish as “The whole parish, church, st…

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King Lear | Episode 64 - Flibbertigibbet 22:27

2M ago22:27

22:27

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene iv - The Walking Fire - and its bearer - arrives. Edgar continues to perform his role as mad Poor Tom.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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King Lear and Mao’s China, with Nan Z. Da 31:15

2M ago31:15

31:15

Nan Z. Da, in her book The Chinese Tragedy of King Lear, finds unsettling parallels between Shakespeare’s play and 20th-century China under Mao Zedong.Da, a literature professor at Johns Hopkins University, weaves together personal history and literary analysis to reveal how King Lear reflects—and even anticipates—the emotional and political horror…

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"Juliet & Romeo" The Pop Sensation 1:07:36

2M ago1:07:36

1:07:36

Steven welcomes filmmaker Timothy Scott Bogart to this episode to discuss Tim's new film adaptation: "Juliet & Romeo," featuring a pop music spin on the classic 14th century story. Together, they discuss the intricacies of filming on location in Italy, choices within the script, the score of the film, and performances delivered by the cast. Support…

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Hamlet: Act I (rerun) 1:05:39

2M ago1:05:39

1:05:39

It's finally time to discuss the grandaddy of all of Shakespeare's plays! That's right, it's time for Hamlet and Tim, Heidi, and special guest Andrew Kern are ready to dig deep. In this episode they discuss why this play matters so much, the initial structure of the play, the themes and problems Act I introduces, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See…

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The Sonnets - Part 19

3M ago

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Featuring sonnets 36, 44, 45, and 143. --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

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Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen 33:48

3M ago33:48

33:48

Elizabeth I is perhaps the most famous Queen of England, reigning from November 1558 until her death in 1603. When you study her life, you quickly learn that she was known as “the Virgin Queen” for her staunch stance against marriage. Despite directives from her court and intense peer pressure from those around her, Elizabeth faced down scandal, ru…

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King Lear | Episode 63 - Poor Bare Forked Animal 18:47

3M ago18:47

18:47

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene iv - Lear is still fascinated by Edgar, while the Fool still watches.Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Henry V: Act V (rerun) 1:04:26

3M ago1:04:26

1:04:26

Join Heidi and David for the conclusion of their conversation about Shakespeare's classic history play, Henry V. Conversation explores King Henry's honesty (or lack thereof) in the final scene with Princess Katherine, the role of the commoners in the play, performing Henry, and (of course) more on teaching Shakespeare. Remember: subscribe, rate, an…

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Top Pop Songs of the 1600s 39:52

3M ago39:52

39:52

What were the top musical hits of Shakespeare’s England? What lyrics were stuck in people’s heads? What stories did they sing on repeat?The 100 Ballads project is a deep dive into the hits of early modern England—a kind of 17th-century Billboard Hot 100. Drawing from thousands of surviving printed ballads, researchers Angela McShane and Christopher…

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The Little Ice Age During Shakespeare's Lifetime 39:53

3M ago39:53

39:53

Since 1939, when Francios E. Matthas wrote it into scientific literature, the Little Ice Age has been known as a period in history between the 15th and 19th centuries, when the climate was significantly colder than what is typical. The history generally divides the Little Ice Age into sections, which alternate with periods of warming to create wild…

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King Lear | Episode 62 - All The Plagues 15:24

3M ago15:24

15:24

The Hamlet Podcast - a weekly exploration of Shakespeare's King Lear.Act III Scene iv - Lear is fascinated by Edgar, while the Fool watches what is happening. Written and presented by Conor HanrattyBy Conor Hanratty

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Shakespeare's Imaginary Constitution 1:48:40

3M ago1:48:40

1:48:40

Steven welcomes Professor Paul Raffield from the School of Law at the University of Warwick to discuss his book, "Shakespeare's Imaginary Constitution." Raffield is an accomplished actor and law professor with great insight into the works of Shakespeare and their ability to capture the legal and political aspects of their time. Support the show by …

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Henry V: Act IV (rerun) 1:12:32

3M ago1:12:32

1:12:32

Welcome back to The Play's the Thing! Join David and Heidi as they continue their conversation about Shakespeare's legendary history play, Henry V. Conversation touches on the build-up to the battle, stage/film interpretation of Henry's famous speech, the historical context of the battle and Shakespeare's take on it, Henry finally showing some emot…