Shakespeare Uncovered

The Taming of the Shrew with Morgan Freeman

Freeman first discovered Shakespeare in school in Mississippi. He went on to play the hero of this play – Petruchio – in The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park production in New York, set in the Wild West. Freeman notes this play has set the template for all of the battle-of-the-sexes comedies that have followed; many a romantic comedy has The Taming of the Shrew running through its veins.

King Lear with Christopher Plummer | Preview

37s

King Lear is universally acknowledged as one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragic roles. Christopher Plummer has played the role under the direction of Sir Jonathan Miller. Ian McKellen and Simon Russell Beale share their insights into this often-difficult character. And Plummer examines what inspired Shakespeare to write a play about a kingdom divided at a delicate moment.

Previews + Extras

  • The Taming of the Shrew with Morgan Freeman | Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Taming of the Shrew with Morgan Freeman | Preview

    S2 E3 - 35s

    For many, the play The Taming of the Shrew is uncomfortable to watch. It was one of Shakespeare’s very first plays and may seem too brutal for modern audiences. It ends with a speech about how women should obey their men. But is this the sexist propaganda that it first appears – or is there something more complicated going on? Morgan Freeman hosts.

  • Morgan Freeman Discusses Shakespeares take on the Shrew: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Morgan Freeman Discusses Shakespeares take on the Shrew

    S2 E3 - 2m 43s

    The shrew is the oldest comic role for women. It goes back to medieval plays and persists into the late 20th century. The traditional shrew tales make a mockery of the woman, but the one in Shakespeare's play is different.

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.