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Why was Shakespeare enchanted by the supernatural?
Bard expert Jonathan Bate explains why the magical world appears in Shakespeare's plays.
  1. Why was Shakespeare enchanted by the supernatural?
    02:39
    Why was Shakespeare enchanted by the supernatural?
  2. Russell T Davies on wanting to adapt A Midsummer Night's Dream
    00:44
    Russell T Davies on wanting to adapt A Midsummer Night's Dream
    View More From Russell T Davies and Maxine Peake
  3. Russell T Davies on young women and suicide
    00:42
    Russell T Davies on young women and suicide
    View More From Russell T Davies and Maxine Peake
  4. Maxine Peake discusses her Shakespeare acting past
    02:04
    Maxine Peake discusses her Shakespeare acting past
    View More From Russell T Davies and Maxine Peake
  5. Maxine Peake on working with choreographer Arlene Phillips
    00:25
    Maxine Peake on working with choreographer Arlene Phillips
    View More From Russell T Davies and Maxine Peake
  6. Russell T Davies talks about diversity in his A Midsummer Night's Dream
    03:16
    Russell T Davies talks about diversity in his A Midsummer Night's Dream
    View More From Russell T Davies and Maxine Peake
  7. Russell T Davies admits to a surprise collaboration on the A Midsummer Night's Dream script
    01:19
    Russell T Davies admits to a surprise collaboration on the A Midsummer Night's Dream script
    View More From Russell T Davies and Maxine Peake
  8. Marlon James: Full session
    50:23
    Marlon James: Full session
  9. Yanis Varoufakis on Brexit
    01:39
    Yanis Varoufakis on Brexit
  10. Maxine Peake on the challenges of playing Hamlet
    02:37
    Maxine Peake on the challenges of playing Hamlet
  11. Did Shakespeare really write his plays?
    01:24
    Did Shakespeare really write his plays?
  12. Sam Mendes on Judi Dench
    01:19
    Sam Mendes on Judi Dench
  13. O for a muse of fire
    02:37
    O for a muse of fire
  14. David Gilmour on the unique sound of Rattle That Lock
    01:49
    David Gilmour on the unique sound of Rattle That Lock
  15. Paapa Essiedu and Maxine Peake's conceptions of Hamlet
    04:00
    Paapa Essiedu and Maxine Peake's conceptions of Hamlet
  16. Salman Rushdie on the private act of writing a book
    01:37
    Salman Rushdie on the private act of writing a book
  17. Julian Clary and illustrator David Roberts on drawing a hyena
    03:30
    Julian Clary and illustrator David Roberts on drawing a hyena
  18. Now playing
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Featured Collections

  • The best of Hay 2016
    The best of Hay 2016
    A selection of highlights from the literary festival in Wales.
  • Shakespeare at Hay Festival 2016
    Shakespeare at Hay Festival 2016
    An incredible collection of actors, authors, writers and more celebrating the Bard
  • Literature
    Literature
    Conversations with great novelists at the 2016 Hay Festival.
  • Kids' corner
    Kids' corner
    Children's authors and illustrators at the 2016 Hay Festival.
  • Science, history and ideas
    Science, history and ideas
    The best thinkers at the 2016 Hay Festival, on everything from philosophy to feminism.
  • Film, television and music
    Film, television and music
    Directors, actors, TV personalities and singers - the best from the 2016 Hay Festival.

Act Videos

  • Andrew Davies
  • Baaba Maal
  • Ben Miller
  • Billy Bragg
  • Caitlin Moran
  • Chris Hoy
  • Chris Packham
  • Claire Harman
  • David Gilmour and Polly Samson
  • David Mitchell
  • Edmund de Waal
  • Edna O'Brien
  • Eleanor Tomlinson, Karen Thrussell and Debbie Horsfield
  • Fay Weldon
  • George Monbiot
  • Germaine Greer
  • Gregory Doran
  • Imtiaz Dharker and Gillian Clarke
  • James Shapiro
  • Jeanette Winterson on The Gap of Time
  • Jeanette Winterson: Shakespeare 400
  • Joan Bakewell
  • Jonathan Bate
  • Jonathan Dimbleby
  • Julian Clary and David Roberts
  • Lionel Shriver
  • Malorie Blackman
  • Marlon James
  • Maxine Peake and Paapa Essiedu
  • Michael Morpurgo
  • Michael Palin
  • Neil MacGregor and Richard J Evans
  • Paul Mason
  • Peter Carey
  • Ruby Wax
  • Salman Rushdie
  • Salman Rushdie, Kamila Shamsie, Valeria Luiselli and Juan Gabriel Vasquez
  • Sam Mendes
  • Sarah Millican and Hannah Dunleavy
  • Simon Schama
  • Stephen Frears
  • Steve Silberman
  • Susan Calman
  • Thomas Keneally on Napoleon's Last Island
  • Thomas Keneally on Schindler's Ark
  • Yanis Varoufakis
  • Cymraeg
  • Gàidhlig
  • Gaeilge

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