As part of the BBC’s contribution to the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival, the radio networks have just announced the schedule for their Shakespeare Season.

Highlights include new drama productions of Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet starring David Tennant as well as The Tempest with David Warner as Prospero. Starting Monday 16 April, British Museum Director Neil MacGregor explores what the world was like in Shakespeare’s day using objects from the time in a 20-part series entitled ‘Shakespeare’s Restless World’ – with Shakespeare extracts performed by a cast of actors including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rory Kinnear and Hattie Morahan.

Detailed information on these forthcoming productions will be made available on BUFVC’s Shakespeare Database.

(Image: BBC)

Radio 3 broadcast schedule

• Drama on 3: Twelfth Night – Sunday 22nd April, 8.30pm
• Drama on 3: Romeo and Juliet – Sunday 29th April, 8.30pm
• In Tune: Shakespeare and Love – Monday 23rd-Friday 27th April, 4.30pm
• The Essay: Shakespeare and Love – Monday 23rd-Friday 27th April, 10.45pm
• Night Waves: The Tempest – Thursday 3rd May, 10pm
• Drama on 3: The Tempest – Sunday 6th May, 8.30pm
• Drama on 3: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (repeat) – Sunday 13th May, 8.30pm
• The Essay: Shakespeare Around The Globe – Monday 14th-Friday 18th May, 10.45pm
• My Shakespeare – Monday 14th-Sunday 20th May (throughout the day)

Radio 4 broadcast schedule

• Shakespeare’s Restless World – weekdays at 1.45pm (repeated at 7.45pm) starting Monday 16th April
• William Shakespeare’s Playlist – Saturday 21st April, 10.30am
• The Reunion – Sunday 22nd April, 11.15am
• My Shakespeare – Saturday 12th-Friday 25th May, Radio 4 (throughout the day)

Radio 4 Extra broadcast schedule

• The Reduced Shakespeare Company – Hamlet from May 1994 – Wednesday 18th April, 11pm
• Shakespeare: Thereby Hangs A Tale – A Celebration of the Swan of Avon – Saturday 21st April, 9.00am, repeated 7.00pm
• The Jacobean Box – Tuesday 24th April, 10.00am, repeats 3.00pm and 3.00am
• The Reduced Shakespeare Company – The Comedies from May 1994 – Wednesday 25th April, 11.00pm
• Another Shakespeare – Thursday 26th April, 11.15am, repeats 9.15pm and 4.15am