BACK | + PRINT LIST | + J LIST | | Sleeve

Shakespeare in Italy (2012)

#1376 Documentary     Main  IMDB

With Francesco da Mosto, Samuel Barnett, Alberto Toso Fei, Susannah Fielding. Francesco da Mosto takes to the Italian road again in search of Shakespeare in Italy
2x1hour episodes. BBC.

1 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!


2 Land of Fortune

Francesco da Mosto takes a look at Italy as the land of adventure and ambition - where fortunes are made and battles are fought.

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.