William

Synopsis

A programme combining comedy, drama and song to introduce young children to William Shakespeare. John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson read excerpts from Hamlet, Richard III, and As You Like It; Lynn Redgrave and Simon Ward perform ‘quickie comic blackouts, encapsulating some of the Bard’s more lighthearted works’; and Paul Jones sings ‘Maria’ from West Side Story. Concludes with the entire cast singing ‘Brush Up Your Shakespeare’, from Cole Porter’s Broadway musical Kiss Me Kate.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Television

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Transmission details

1973

Duration

46 mins

Availability

No archive copy found (6/2007).

Credits

Director

Ian MacNaughton

Cast

John Gielgud
Lynn Redgrave
Paul Jones
Ralph Richardson
Simon Ward

Additional Details

Production type

Other

Keywords

children’s television; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes

Source: Susanne Greenhalgh ‘UK Television’ in Burt, Richard (ed). Shakespeares After Shakespeares: an Encyclopedia of the Bard in Mass Media and Popular Culture. 2 vols. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2006 (p. 727, entry 3528).

History

Transmitted in the United States in the ABC Afternoon Special series on 3rd January 1973, season 1, episode 4. .Tx date for British transmission unknown.

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)