Shakespeare in Italy

Name: Shakespeare in Italy
Genre: Travel
Released: 2012-05-03
Cast: Francesco da Mosto

Network:BBC Two

Travel

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S01E02 - "Land of Fortune"

Aired on May 10, 2012, 8:00 PM

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Description

Francesco da Mosto takes to the Italian road again in search of Shakespeare in Italy. Bringing a fresh eye to the settings of some of the writer's classic plays, the series journeys across length and breadth of Italy, exploring breath-taking locations, debunking myths and bringing into focus how important the great country was to the playwright. Da Mosto examines how Italy was also a source of inspiration to the bard and somewhere that he could use as a 'decoy setting' for his controversial views on London society during the Elizabethan era.

Details

Status: Ended
Language: English
Runtime: 60 min
Premiered: May 3, 2012
Ended: May 10, 2012
Schedule: Thursday at 9:00 PM

External Links

Episodes (1 Season · 2 Episodes)

Land of Love

Francesco da Mosto takes to the Italian road again in search of Shakespeare in Italy. From Romeo and Juliet to the jealousy of Othello, Shakespeare used the land of love to tell his most passionate stories about falling in love. Needless to say, along the way Francesco adds some insights of his own and revels in claims that not only did Shakespeare visit Italy, but also was born in Sicily. It's a whole new take on the Bard!

May 3, 2012

60 min

Land of Fortune

Beginning in Venice with actor Ciaran Hinds, Francesco considers how his home town so renowned for its justice struck Shakespeare as the perfect setting for his disturbing tale of what happens to an outsider who goes against the law in The Merchant of Venice.Heading south to Rome, Francesco discovers how in his great Roman plays Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare used this ancient city as a smokescreen to address the most burning political issues of his day while avoiding trouble with the Elizabethan censors. Francesco meets Shakespearean actor Mark Rylance, and also pops in to Rome's very own Globe to understand modern Italy's fascination with our English Bard.Finally he travels from Naples to the beautiful Island of Stromboli, just off the north coast of Sicily, a magical setting for Shakespeare's final great masterpiece - The Tempest.

May 10, 2012

60 min