Stage stars celebrate Shakespeare’s skills
You can run but you can’t hide from the Bard – he’s everywhere, almost omnipotent, whether you realise it or not. Many well-worn everyday phrases first appeared in his works, while his stories continue to have a major influence on popular culture today, so it seems only right that we should celebrate his life and legacy – even if it is on the 400th anniversary of his death. "BBC2 is playing a central role in the BBC's Shakespeare celebrations and I'm delighted we will be showing this very special piece which typifies the new ambition and scale we are bringing to arts programming on the channel," explains Kim Shillinglaw, controller of BBC2 and BBC4. David Tennant may be best known for his starring roles in Doctor Who and Broadchurch, but he’s no stranger to William Shakespeare’s works, having appeared on stage in the likes of Hamlet, Love’s Labours Lost, Much Ado About Nothing and Richard II. He’s also hugely popular, particularly with younger viewers, so is perhaps the ideal person to front Shakespeare Live! From the RSC (Saturday, BBC2, 8.30pm). Tennant will be joined on stage at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon by his fellow actors Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Meera Syal and Joseph Fiennes, musician Rufus Wainwright, rapper Akala and comedy star Tim Minchin, all of whom share their thoughts on the Bard's enduring influence on the performing arts, from his home medium of the theatre, through to opera, jazz, dance and musicals. There’s also a chance to see contributions by performers from the English National Opera and The Royal Ballet. “Shakespeare gives us a 360 degree view of what it is to be human and has inspired creativity across every art form,” says Gregory Doran, the RSC’s artistic director. “This live event is the highlight of what will be an extraordinary year for Shakespeare fans, and gives us a chance to celebrate just how far his genius has travelled, influencing artists down the centuries and across the world.” As Doran says, there are more special programmes and events on their way from the BBC and RSC. “Our ambition is to get more people excited about Shakespeare than ever before – through drama, great performance, documentary; festivals and social media too.”