Top 7 Shakespeare Podcasts

Why do great novels, poems and plays move us and excite us? How can they change the way we look at ourselves and the world? What do these authors have to teach us? Why do they matter? There are no better answers to these questions than those provided by the authors themselves. We want to let them speak. Professing Literature is not a broad summary of major works. Instead, it will zero in on one or two key passages, looking at them closely in order to figure out what is at stake. The goal will be to appreciate an author’s brilliance by seeing him or her in action. We will unpack key phrases, images and metaphors and we will consider the techniques the writer uses to make ideas come alive.

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The Play's the Thing is the ultimate podcast resource for lovers of Shakespeare. Dedicating six episodes to each play (one per act, plus a Q&A episode), this podcast explores the themes, scenes, characters, and lines that make Shakespeare so memorable. In the end, we will cover every play The Bard wrote, thus permitting an ongoing contemplation and celebration of the most important writer of all time. Join us.

The Play’s the Thing is presented by The CiRCE Podcast Network.

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Conversations about things Shakespearean, including new developments in Shakespeare studies and Shakespearean performance and education across the globe. These talks are also available on YouTube under the search term, 'Speaking of Shakespeare'. This series is made possible by institutional support from Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in central Tokyo and is also supported by a generous grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Lantern Theatre is a professional theatre company based out of Dana Point, California. Our theatre focuses on experimental, absurdist and post-structuralist works, with the mission of advancing theatre and developing new forms of storytelling for the stage. "City of Dana," our original, made-for-podcast, theatrical comedy series, features stories that take place at the intersection of science and art. The series provides us a chance to showcase various up-and-coming playwrights who share Lantern Theatre's artistic mission: reinventing theatre and expanding the limits of theatrical arts. Aside from our original productions, Lantern Theatre will also be highlighting works from the past, comedies and dramas that we feel are under-performed by other theatres.

Shakespeare's Sonnets is a famous and beloved piece of writing, but, in the view of this podcaster, the work is misunderstood and only about half as good as it can be, if a reader knows what to look for. This podcast will explore The Sonnets on three levels:
Level 1: The 154 poems group perfectly in an 11x14 Meta-Sonnet structure. This means that there are 11 groups of 14 sonnets and each sonnet functions as a line within a larger sonnet. Furthermore, these 11 sections group into 5 acts (with the first 3 sections forming Act 1 and each subsequent Act is 2 sections long). Regardless how readers interpret The Sonnets, they will notice that thematically similar sonnets almost always group neatly into Meta-Sonnet quatrains and couplets. They will also see that narrative arcs start and stop neatly within their sections and acts. Reading the poems in this way enables readers to make connections that would otherwise be invisible.
Level 2: There are three main characters in The Sonnets: the Poet, the Fair Youth, and the Dark Lady. Many readers see these characters as real people who lived 400 years ago and nothing more. That's fine, but there's plenty of textual evidence that the Fair Youth can also be a personification for poetry/the work itself (not a new idea) and the Dark Lady can be seen as a personification of the Sonnet Format/Renaissance Poetic Conventions/Meta-Sonnets. As such, in this view, The Sonnets is not the private love poems of bi-sexual playwright. Rather, it is a critical examination of the relationship between poet, poetry, and form. Other interpretations are perfectly valid, but this is new way to enjoy the work. Importantly, readers need to see the Meta-Sonnets to full appreciate this interpretation of poems.
Level 3: Assuming Level 1 and Level 2 are true, astute readers will have some serious questions. Maybe they won't and they can just connect the Meta-Sonnets to their existing ideas, but, for others, they will want some answers and rightfully demand an explanation. For example: how could this have happened? Why would Shakespeare have done this? If it's too perfect to be random, why did Shakespeare create Meta-Sonnets and not tell anyone? Honestly, I have no secret knowledge about Shakespeare, but I do have the text. Sonnet 43 (and Act 2 in general/the Second Season of this Podcast) is the best place to go for answers, but there are clues in other sonnets too. In short, the text leads me to believe:
1. Shakespeare invented Meta-Sonnets and wrote about them in the work.
2. He intentionally kept them a secret.
3. He knew that seeing them would double the reading pleasure.
4. If Sonnet 43 was an early sonnet (many scholars believe yes), then that suggests that Shakespeare always intended for The Sonnets to have secret Meta-Sonnets.
These Three Levels are very different. Most readers can easily accept the First Level and many readers are comfortable with the Second Level. The Third Level, however, is scary. Many might even suggest off-putting or ridiculous, and, without a doubt, it is controversial. Fair enough. If readers want to ignore the Third Level, that is fine, but it does not discredit the first two. Having said that, I will explore all three in the podcast.

UPDATE:
Appreciating Shakespeare by Gideon Rappaport is now available as a BOOK (in hardcover and paperback) wherever books are sold. Offering knowledge and tools for appreciating Shakespeare's deep and universal meanings. Published by One Mind Good Press. Check it out.
Questions?: Email [email protected]

It’s Shakespeare at its naughtiest in this hilarious sex-positive retelling of The Taming of the Shrew!

In Madame Baptista’s famed house of ill-repute, proud Mistress Kate must dominate over Peter Pluck, else lose herself to his command, while young Luke and fair Bianca fling themselves headlong into hormone-driven romance and forbidden love. High art meets tongue-in-cheek in six outrageous episodes of comedy, sex, and foul language!

Written, directed and produced by Joseph Stephen Leonardo.

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A Shakespeare scholar talks to actual clever people about what normal domestic activity was like during the life and times of William Shakespeare. Partly informative, and mostly fun, the series aims to shed some light on the lesser discussed aspects of early modern life in England, namely poo, pants, passion and other such ponderings. Written, hosted, edited and produced by Anjna Chouhan.
Please contact me via e-mail: [email protected]

I am a high school student exploring Shakespeare with my former English teacher. This season, we're providing commentary and analysis on Hamlet that anyone can understand, including and especially those who haven't yet read Hamlet!
Reach out!
[email protected]

Entertaining, thrilling and uplifting the Putney Theatre Company's dedicated podcast features show reviews, interviews with directors, cast and crew, and feedback from our wonderful audiences. We're a regional theatre working with the community to encourage new writing, new actors, offering fresh perspectives and familiar drama. Come and see us at the South West End!

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The official podcast of Ghost Light Players. We hearken back to the days of old, when traveling troupes entertained their patrons with little more than a few props, masterful skill and an avid love of theater.

Arlecchino, Brighella, Pantalone, Il Dottore. These names mean anything to you? Ok what about The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Andre the Giant, and The Undertaker? Ring a few more bells? Well The Ringside Rogues, hosted by Dave Stishan and Tyler Moss, are here to layeth the smackethdown and drop some knowledge about the world of professional wrestling and it's deep connection to one of the oldest forms of theatre, commedia dell'arte. You won't want to miss this intersection of nerdy and niche, brother!

English Teachers Dr. Christian Taylor and Field Commander (ret.) Joe Payne introduce you to the Authorship Question of Shakespeare - who actually was the 'Bard of Avon'?

Is it a conspiracy theory? Is that necessarily a bad thing? Tune in and find out!

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A not-for profit, amateur audio theatre group for the 21st Century - Born out of the pandemic lockdowns in 2021.

In a previous incarnation as The Hope Theatre group (and earlier, St Mary's Youth Theatre Menston) and led by our Director Peter Gilbert we were frustrated in our plans to perform on stage, so moved to audio with a new name and our first Shakespeare adaptation - Troilus and Cressida.

We plan to add further Shakespeare plays in the coming years.

Please visit our website for further detail: www.WorldStage21.uk

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