Shakespeare Code, The

Synopsis: Science fiction adventure series. The Doctor takes Martha on her first trip in the TARDIS. Arriving in Elizabethan England in 1599 they meet William Shakespeare who is writing Love’s Labour’s Won. The witch-like Carrionites are a lost species breaking their way back into the world, and plot to end the world by placing a code in the new play’s closing dialogue. Shakespeare is entreated by the Doctor to redeem the world by the power of words. Shakespeare references abound: Doctor Who often giving Shakespeare inspiration for his lines - Doctor Who ‘all the world’s a stage’. WS: ‘Um, I might use that’. Shakespeare says ‘to be or not to be’, the Doctor suggests he writes it down but Shakespeare considers it ‘too pretentious’. At one point Shakespeare flirts with the Doctor, to which the Doctor responds ‘57 academics just punched the air’.
Series: Doctor Who
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Television
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Transmission details: 7 Apr 2007 at 19:00 (Channel: BBC1)
Duration: 45 mins

Director

Charles Palmer

Producer

Cinematographer

Writer

Music

Production Design

Edward Thomas (2)

Costume

Louise Page

Cast

Production type: Television and Radio Drama
Plays: Macbeth
Subjects: Drama
Keywords: Globe Theatre; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); witchcraft; Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; Time Travel; Science fiction (television); Love’s Labour’s Won

General: Scenes for the episode were filmed in Coventry, Warwick and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

In Radio Times (7-13 April 2007, p. 9) Dean Lennox Kelly, who plays Shakespeare, describes his rock star interpretation of the part ‘I just went slightly camp, slightly Johnny Depp in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, a bit of Liam Gallagher, a bit of Kev from SHAMELESS, a bit of me, a bit of eyeliner - there you go!'.

The same evening at 19:45 BBC3 broadcast DOCTOR WHO CONFIDENTIAL, narrated by Anthony Head, in which actors and the production team (including the series’ executive producer, Russell T. Davies) talk about the interpretation of their roles and how the special effects were achieved.
History: Series three, episode 2.
Reviews: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Shakespeare_Code gives a very detailed account of the plot and Shakespeare references (accessed 4/2007).

Commentary podcast at http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/sounds/

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British Universities Film & Video Council