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Artwork for Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

Folger Shakespeare Library
Shakespeare
Hamlet
William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
King Lear
Folger Shakespeare Library
Othello
Julius Caesar
Theatre
Titus Andronicus
Folger Theatre
Mary, Queen Of Scots
London
Disgust
Macbeth
Malcolm X
Henry VIII
Tragedy
Antony and Cleopatra
Will Somer

Home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare materials. Advancing knowledge and the arts. Discover it all at www.folger.edu. Shakespeare turns up in the most interesting places—not just literature and the stage, but science and social history as well. Our "Shakespeare Unlimited" podcast explores the fascinating and varied connections between Shakespeare, his works, and the world around us... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes308Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Arts

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Artwork for Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

Latest Episodes

In 1597, the first published edition of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet rolled off the printing press. Only a year later, the Spanish colony of Santa Fe was established. While you might not immediately think Shakespeare had much to do with the Latinx ... more

YouTube

If you were Hamlet’s lawyer, would you advise he plead not guilty by reason of insanity? Would you consider his accidental slaying of Polonius to be murder or manslaughter? These are the kinds of questions that University of Michigan Law professor Le... more

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Near the end of The Tempest, Prospero vows to retire from practicing the “rough magic” he has mastered, to break his magical staff and drown his spellbooks. After 14 seasons as Artistic Director of Canada's Stratford Festival, Antoni Cimolino has cho... more

YouTube

Imagine being able to dig through Shakespeare’s manuscripts and ask him about his writing process. Did King Lear survive in the first draft? What if Hamlet originally said, “To live or not to live?” While we can only dream about that opportunity, sch... more

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Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Kate Gillen
Editor of the Borderlands anthology
Texas A&M University San Antonio
Episode: The Bard in the Borderlands
Katie Vomero Santos
Editor of the Borderlands anthology
Trinity University / Texas A&M University San Antonio
Episode: The Bard in the Borderlands
Andrew Siañez-De La O
Playwright; author of Rough Magic
Texas
Episode: The Bard in the Borderlands
Len Niehoff
University of Michigan Law School professor who teaches a course on Shakespeare and the law
University of Michigan Law School
Episode: Shakespeare and the Law, with Len Niehoff
Antoni Cimolino
Artistic Director, Stratford Festival
Stratford Festival
Episode: Stratford Festival's Antoni Cimolino
Caroline Bicks
Professor of early modern literature, University of Maine; author of Monsters in the Archives, My Year of Fear with Stephen King
University of Maine
Episode: Shakespeare and Stephen King, with Caroline Bicks
Charles O'Malley
Writer and dramaturg; co-author of Shakespeare's Margaret, The Dramatic Life of a Warrior Queen
Author, Shakespeare's Margaret
Episode: Shakespeare's Margaret, with Charles O'Malley and Scott W. Stern
Scott W. Stern
Writer and lawyer; co-author of Shakespeare's Margaret, The Dramatic Life of a Warrior Queen
Author, Shakespeare's Margaret
Episode: Shakespeare's Margaret, with Charles O'Malley and Scott W. Stern
Sean Keilen
Professor of early modern literature; head of dramaturgy at Santa Cruz Shakespeare; founder of Shakespeare Workshop
University of California, Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz Shakespeare; Shakespeare Workshop
Episode: Scholars in Shakespeare, with Sean Keilen

Hosts

Farah Karim Cooper
Host and Folger director; Folger Shakespeare Library
Barbara Bogave
Interviewer and host

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.2k ratings
  • A fan

    So many good shows. They brought me to Shakespeare like no other medium. Plus, I’ve been motivated to visit the Folger in DC. Luv the cafe!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    aeim2
    United States4 months ago
  • Best podcast!

    Have so loved this journey. A passionate honest exploration of Shakespeare, his works, and shared times. So many podcasts are commercially driven with pay walls etc. This podcast opens up this world for everyone! Thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tree House Life
    United States5 months ago
  • Excellent

    Fabulous podcast..well researched and delivered. Bravo!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JCLSWAN12
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Yes!

    Shakespeare in Africa, Shakespeare in China, Shakespeare in prisons, sonnets based on pop songs — this amazing podcast covers a wide range and is always interesting, always accessible. Fascinating guests, great questions, rewarding discussions — I’m so glad I stumbled upon it. I’m hooked!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Shakespeare-to-Sondheim
    United States9 months ago
  • Reading Jane Austen

    The author/editor/‘scholar’ seemed contemptuous of Jane Austen’s ongoing popularity

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ?YouAsked?
    Australia10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Consistently credible, with deep dives into Shakespeare and related culture.
High production quality and strong interviewing that elevates scholarly content for broad audiences.
Thoughtful, rigorous, and accessible discussions that connect archives, performance, and scholarship.
A wide range of guests and topics keeps episodes fresh and deeply informative.
Occasional critique about host style from some listeners, but overall positive reception.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#225
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#142
India/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Shakespeare and the Law, with Len Niehoff
Q: How did your interest in Shakespeare and the law begin?
Niehoff describes noticing his students' energy waning in a standard Civil Procedure class and using Shakespeare as a way to teach legal concepts, eventually turning this into a broader approach to reading Shakespeare through the lens of the law.
Shakespeare's Margaret, with Charles O'Malley and Scott W. Stern
Q: Why don't we start with the real Margaret of Anjou? What were her origins and what was her childhood like?
She was a French princess, born in the early 1400s, promised in marriage to Henry VI of England, and her life in exile and political maneuvering became a rich source for Shakespeare and later dramatists. Her early alliances and the dowry of peace set the stage for a dramatic life that Shakespeare expanded in his plays.
The Six Loves of James I, with Gareth Russell
Q: Well Gareth, let's start with some Shakespeare-centric questions, if we could. Was James a true Shakespeare fan after he assumed the throne?
Gareth notes that James wasn't a devoted theatre-goer, but emphasizes that his patronage and political calculus made Shakespeare essential to royal propaganda and public mood, more a strategic ally than a personal theatre lover.
Shakespeare and the Red Scare, with Marjorie Garber
Q: How do Shakespearean texts function as propaganda or counter-propaganda in this history?
Shakespeare is shown as a source of cultural capital that can be invoked to justify or critique political positions, and the hearings reveal how his lines can be reinterpreted to argue for or against censorship and power.
Shakespeare and the Red Scare, with Marjorie Garber
Q: What does 'poetic revenge' mean in the context of these hearings?
Poetic revenge refers to how poets and writers use language to undermine official narratives, reveal hypocrisy, and empower audiences to see through censorship and propaganda.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Listeners can expect in-depth conversations at the intersection of Shakespeare, literature, history, and performance. Episodes frequently explore how Shakespeare's works illuminate modern topics—from archives and biographical dramas to modern adaptations, gender and race in classical theatre, and the translator's craft—often featuring scholars, actors, historians, and dramaturgs who bring rich historical context and behind-the-scenes storytelling to the discussion. The show is notable for its wide range of guests, from university professors and literary historians to theatre practitioners, who illuminate both the Bard's enduring relevance and the practicalities of staging and interpreting his work. The format tends to balance rigorous analy... more

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1. The History of Literature
2. The History of English Podcast
3. The Book Review
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this podcast launched 11 years ago and published 308 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Kate Gillen
2. Katie Vomero Santos
3. Andrew Siañez-De La O
4. Len Niehoff
5. Antoni Cimolino
6. Caroline Bicks
7. Charles O'Malley
8. Scott W. Stern

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