Inside Shakespeare's plays

James I was a multifaceted ruler who led a fascinating life—and his romantic relationships with both men and women guided its often-turbulent course. Historian and author Gareth Russell reveals the untold story of his life and loves.

Why did early modern poetry and plays provoke the House Un-American Activities Committee? Marjorie Garber explores how Shakespeare became a magnet for suspicion during the Red Scare—and how he spoke to the moment.

From Hamlet to A Midsummer Night’s Dream and more: try out our quiz about Shakespeare’s plays within a play, when his characters put on shows of their own.

From Ellen Terry to Sir Ian McKellen, Shakespearean actors performing solo shows is a time-honored tradition. Austin Tichenor shares a wide-ranging sampling of one-person Shakespeare shows from the past century.

In Shakespeare’s Scholars, Sean Keilen explores one of the more comic parts from Hamlet, Polonius’ advice to his son Laertes, and why audiences, from Shakespeare’s time until quite recently, took the words of guidance quite seriously.

A century after Shakespeare’s death, his words were in danger of being forgotten. Christine and Jonathan Hainsworth reveal how the Shakespeare Ladies Club rescued Shakespeare’s plays and made him the cultural icon he is today.

Is Shakespeare still Shakespeare even if every word is changed? Author and translator Daniel Hahn dives into the challenges and rewards of translating Shakespeare—exploring not only what is lost in translation, but also what is gained.

What happens when a Shakespeare play is made up in real time? The ISC creates fully unscripted performances from a single audience prompt—blending poetry, comedy, and spontaneity into a play that’s never the same twice.

We all know that Shakespeare loved twins, but less talked about is how much he adored triplets. Shakespeare understood the power of three and deployed it, perhaps most unexpectedly, says Austin Tichenor, in the comedy As You Like It.

Acclaimed actor Adjoa Andoh shares how “swinging the lens” in both Bridgerton and Shakespeare reveals new perspectives on power, identity, and belonging, inviting audiences to see familiar stories in radically different ways.

Womersley shares how tragedies like Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear place audiences inside difficult moral dilemmas, inviting us to wrestle with enduring questions about identity, power, and what it means to do the right thing.

As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s festive comedies, but there are also heavier themes in the play. We asked Folger Director Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper for her take on Shakespeare’s beloved comedy.