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”To Be Or Not To Be” – it’s the most famous speech in all of English drama, but what on earth is Hamlet actually talking about?This series, made by BAFTA winner, double Emmy Award winning documentary producer Andrew Smith, features contributions from Adrian Lester, Harriet Walter, Sir Mark Rylance, Samuel West and many more. The first 14 episodes were produced during lockdown to raise awareness for theatres and for actors in a time of pandemic and theatre closures. If you would like to support the podcast, please do ”like” it - or leave a review! Special thanks to Emma Fielding, Simon Paisley Day, Kris Dyer and Paul Sen.
Episodes
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
The Strange History of a Radical Speech (Part 2)
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
In this episode, we look at the distinguished history of women playing Hamlet on the professional stage, a tradition which goes back almost 300 years. We hear how, as readers and theatre-goers, women helped make Shakespeare a lasting success - and find Hamlet's famous soliloquy becoming an inspiration and slogan in the fight for the vote for women. With Sophie Duncan, Nicole Cooper, Tony Howard, Michael Dobson and Alison Neil.
The speech readings are by Emma Fielding and Simon Paisley Day. For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID lockdown crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#
Wednesday Jan 06, 2021
A Thousand Natural Shocks
Wednesday Jan 06, 2021
Wednesday Jan 06, 2021
In this episode, we visit the EGO Performance Company, actors with physical disabilities or learning difficulties, who perform and rehearse on Zoom during lockdown. The company has turned to Hamlet's famous soliloquy to explore issues in their own lives and in society; with insights ranging from the powerful and moving to the high-spirited and comical.
You can find out more about EGO here: http://www.egoperformance.co.uk/
And they have a donation page here: https://localgiving.org/charity/egoperformance/
For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID lockdown crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#, or email Andrew@fleetingyearfilms.com
Sunday Dec 20, 2020
Taking Up Arms
Sunday Dec 20, 2020
Sunday Dec 20, 2020
Such is the uncanny power of "To Be Or Not To Be", it's been used by politicians and leaders for their own political purposes, from the current Chinese leader to Adolf Hitler; and as this episode reveals, it's also been a rallying cry for activists and protesters down the decades. We take a whistle-stop tour of the world, finding out how Hamlet's soliloquy is regularly used to evade censorship and speak truth to power. With Basharat Peer, investigative journalist, author and writer of Haider; Professor Margaret Litvin, and Professor Mark Burnett.
The speech readings are by Emma Fielding and Simon Paisley Day.
Haider (2014) was produced by VB Pictures, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, and is showing on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/70303432
For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID lockdown crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#, or email Andrew@fleetingyearfilms.com
Monday Nov 23, 2020
What We May Be
Monday Nov 23, 2020
Monday Nov 23, 2020
In this episode, psychoanalyst Jamieson Webster and philosopher Simon Critchley try to unlock the mysteries of Hamlet's tortured consciousness, highlighting the psychological strangeness and neurotic violence of the leading character, and locating Ophelia as the true hero of the play. Speaking candidly and personally, the couple reveal the heavy toll which investigating Hamlet and Ophelia had on their own marriage. The beautiful readings of Ophelia are by Emma Pallant, and the TBNTB speech is by Emma Fielding and Simon Paisley Day.
For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID lockdown crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
The Strange History of a Radical Speech (Part 1)
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
In this episode, we uncover the radical roots of Hamlet’s soliloquy by tracing how it sounded in the mouths of the famous actors who played the role. For four centuries, Shakespeare has been fought over - is he for the elite or for everyone? It's a battle which has seen ordinary people sent to jail just for performing Shakespeare - and it's a cultural conflict which continues today. This is the first part of a series looking at the revolutionary history of "To be or not to be". With Ben and David Crystal, Sarah Dustagheer, Sonia Massai, David Roberts, Peter Holland, Leslie Ritchie, Jed Wentz and Paul Willenbrock. Readings by Kris Dyer, Emma Fielding, Simon Paisley Day
The Pepys musical version: Paul Willenbrock, bass; Marco Horvat, baroque guitar; sound, Hamish Hossain; montage, Rebecca Young. Paul Willenbrock's website : sing-op-english.com
For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID lockdown crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
The Verse Doctors
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
Wednesday Nov 11, 2020
In this episode, we speak to the “verse doctors”, experts on the hidden rhythms of Hamlet's famous soliloquy, who uncover how Shakespeare laid a trail of subtle clues to direct today’s actors, four centuries after his death. With Giles Taylor, Philip Bird, Sarah Case, Giles Block, Joseph Millson and Tess Dignan. The speech readings are by Emma Fielding and Simon Paisley Day. This is an amended version of an episode previously uploaded. For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID lockdown crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
What’s It All About?
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
In this episode, we ask the BIG questions - what does "To Be Or Not To Be" mean? Is there an answer? And can we relate Hamlet's famous soliloquy to the way we live our own lives? With Ewan Fernie, Emma Smith, Paul Kottman, Joshua Landy and Christie Carson. The speech readings are by Emma Fielding and Simon Paisley Day. For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID lockdown crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#
Friday Sep 25, 2020
Black Lives Matter
Friday Sep 25, 2020
Friday Sep 25, 2020
In this episode, we follow a remarkable Black Lives Matter themed production which took Hamlet into New York's maximum security prisons, women's refuges and homeless shelters, and found new resonance and relevance in drama's most famous speech. With Chukwudi Iwuji, Patricia McGregor, Kristolyn Lloyd and Professor James Shapiro. The speech readings are by Emma Fielding and Simon Paisley Day. For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#
Wednesday Sep 16, 2020
The Time Machine
Wednesday Sep 16, 2020
Wednesday Sep 16, 2020
What would it have been like to be an audience member at the very first performance of Hamlet, four centuries ago? And what might the extraordinary playing conditions of Shakespeare’s day have meant for Hamlet’s famous soliloquy? With Tiffany Stern, Sir Mark Rylance, Joseph Millson, Simon Palfrey, Ralph Alan Cohen, Dominic Dromgoole and John Harrell. The speech readings are by Emma Fielding and Simon Paisley Day. For more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#
Sunday Sep 06, 2020
Speaking The Speech
Sunday Sep 06, 2020
Sunday Sep 06, 2020
In the first episode of To Be Or Not To Be, we ask some of our leading actors who've played Hamlet - how did they approach the most famous lines in all of English drama? And how did they handle the notorious psychological and emotional pressures of the role? With Adrian Lester, Samuel West, Jonathan Slinger, Nicole Cooper, Dominic Dromgoole, Joseph Millson, Michael Benz, Isabella Marshall and Jonathan Broadbent. The speech readings were by Emma Fielding and Simon Paisley Day. Please visit the podcast website for more information on the podcast and how you can help theatres and actors during the COVID crisis: http://www.fleetingyearfilms.com/podcast.html#