Newsnight [25/02/2009]

Synopsis

Television news and current affairs programme presented by Jeremy Paxman. Includes a Newsnight Review item (6.5mins) on the newly established Hip Hop Shakespeare Company. Kirsty Wark announces the launch of the Company. Brief shots of a workshop with supporter Ian McKellen participating. McKellen speaks of the affinity between rap and Shakespeare and the rhythms in Shakespeare’s language which by the time he wrote the late plays resembled the rhythms of jazz. A teenage boy raps part of a speech from Romeo and Juliet. McKellen speaks highly of rapper Akala as an inspirational teacher. In the studio Akala raps Sonnet 18 (`Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?'). Akala joins panel Kirsty Wark, Shappi Khorsandi, Ben Okri and David Aaronovich. The panel, like McKellen, speaks of the rhythmic language of Shakespeare and rap and their similarities. Akala tells of a workshop he conducts in which he gives participants lines from a well known rapper and lines from Shakespeare and they have to guess which is which. Many guess incorrectly (some well known Shakespeare Institutions are said to have failed the test). He gives the same test to the panel.

Series

Newsnight

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Television

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Notes

A clip of the Newsnight Review is available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/review/7906679.stm (accessed 24/3/2009).

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Rap music; Hip Hop; Hip Hop Shakespeare Company

Credits

Contributor

Akala; Ben Okri; David Aaronovich; Ian McKellen; Kirsty Wark; Shappi Khorsandi

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7255 1444

Fax

020 7436 0165

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

Name

Learning on Screen Off-Air Recording Back-up Service

Email

services@bufvc.ac.uk

Web

http://bufvc.ac.uk/tvandradio/offair External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7393 1514

Fax

020 7393 1555

Address

For Learning on Screen Members only
77 Wells Street
London
W1T 3QJ