These short, play-specific audio and video clips are designed as introductions for students (or those seeking a refresher!). Hear Folger Education staff, actors, and teachers share their unique perspective on major themes in the plays.
Henry IV, Part 1
1 Henry IV is one of Shakespeare's most enduring and timeless history plays. From the barroom humor of Falstaff to Hotspur's doomed ambition to Prince Hal's stunning transformation, 1 Henry IV fascinates us by presenting a world where, as director Paul Mason Barnes puts it, "no one is simple." Folger Theatre artists talk through the heroes and politics of 1 Henry IV.
Macbeth
It's one of Shakespeare's most famous works, his shortest tragedy, Lincoln's favorite play by Shakespeare, and widely taught in American high schools and performed on the American stage. Folger Theatre artists—co-directors Teller (the silent partner in Penn & Teller) and Aaron Posner and actors Eric Hissom, Kate Eastwood Norris, Ian Merrill Peakes, and Craig Wallace—talk about the Scottish play.
