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That Shakespeare Life

Cassidy Cash
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare
Early Modern England
Elizabethan England
Elizabeth I
Macbeth
Anne Hathaway
Tudor England
Golf
Legal History
Eels
Travel In Shakespeare's England
London
Hamlet
Food History
16th Century England
Paracelsus
Medicine
Shakespeare's Works
Cultural Exchange

Hosted by Cassidy Cash, That Shakespeare Life takes you behind the curtain and into the real life of William Shakespeare.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes438Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for That Shakespeare Life

Latest Episodes

In Shakespeare's England, the middle of summer was a time of celebration. While the summer season begins at May Day, the longest day of the year, from June 23 into the 24th, was celebrated as the holiday of Midsummer, and Christianized as St. John's ... more

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Shakespeare is famous for his costume changes in his plays, including characters that swap genders and seemingly fool the world as their true identity simply by a change of clothes. Since Shakespeare's playing companies were all male, and still manag... more

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In Shakespeare's plays, there are over 150 references to the word "hair" across which Shakespeare talks about a barber fixing someone's hair, about hair being dyed, about losing your hair being a natural product of old age, combing your hair, and eve... more

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In Shakespeare's plays, he uses the word "gauntlet" a total of 6 times. In one instance, the stage directions declare that a character "throws down his gauntlet." In Hamlet, stage directions again refer to a gauntlet by saying that attendants bring "... more

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Recent Guests

SarahJane Downing
Author and freelance journalist specializing in the history of fashion and beauty
Fashion in the Time of William Shakespeare; other works cited in episode
Episode: Doublets, French Hose, and Plunging 16th Century Necklines
Spencer Weinreich
Author of Thinking with Crocodiles, An Iconic Animal at the Intersection of Early Modern Religion and Natural Philosophy in Early Science and Medicine
Author, Thinker
Episode: Shampoo: How to wash your hair in Shakespeare's England
Hannah Marples
Historic costume maker, embroiderer and author
Nottinghamshire-based historian and author of Experimental Archaeology
Episode: The History, Design, and Fashion Culture of Gauntlet Gloves
Nathalie Vienne-Guerrin
Professor in Shakespeare studies, expert on Shakespeare's insults
Université de Montpellier Paul Deroy; IRCL; Cambridge Shakespeare on Screen projects
Episode: How to Insult Someone Like Shakespeare
Sarah Jane Downing
Historian and author on fashion and cosmetics in Renaissance England
Author of Beauty and Cosmetics from 1550 to 1950
Episode: Painting Your Lips, Bleaching Your Skin, and Other Cosmetic Treatments for Renaissance Women
Shannon McSheffrey
Distinguished research professor, Concordia University (Montreal)
Concordia University
Episode: Evil May Day and Sir Thomas More
David Hitchcock
Reader in Early Modern History, Canterbury Christ Church University
Canterbury Christ Church University
Episode: Homelessness and Vagrancy in Shakespeare's England
Lee Raye
Author of Creatures of Story and Song; associate lecturer at the Open University; research officer at Bangor University
Open University, Bangor University
Episode: Starlings in Shakespeare's England
Michael Walsh
Professor of Cultural Studies and Digital Humanities at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
Episode: Seige of Famagusta and Shakespeare's Othello

Host

Cassidy Cash
Host of That Shakespeare Life

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 83 ratings
  • What a great show!

    What a great show! It’s a 360 degree tour of Shakespeare’s era - excellent guests and host!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hellstromuser
    Canada2 years ago
  • Great concept, annoying delivery

    Love this concept and the content is fascinating. However, the delivery - the showbiz theme tune, very American vibe, and repetitive introduction - are quite annoying, at least to me (a British listener). They seem very detached from the genuinely interesting subject matter which is a shame - but maybe that’s just me. Why not have a more Shakespearean theme tune?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    TM195
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • ROUND OF APPLAUSE!

    Let’s give a huge round of applause to this remarkable show. Entertaining, so well researched, informative, fun & unique! I love this host, as as a fellow American Shakespearean scholar I’m always stunned by how much I learn from these episodes… this, coming from a woman who has studied this man professionally/academically! She blows me away with her knowledge and most of all passion that oozes from the presentation in each episode. Never stop this series. Thank you!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cinderelochka
    United States3 years ago
  • Love the show!

    This has become one of my favorite podcasts and I look forward to it each week.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bad at Thinking of Nicknames
    United States3 years ago
  • Fun and informative!

    This is exactly what I was looking for in my search for a Shakespeare podcast- an in-depth look at the history and culture of his time. The interview style makes for easy listening while still offering a lot of insight!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cpmnc
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Consistently well-researched and engaging, offering new angles on familiar topics.
A reliable, high-quality source for listeners curious about history and Shakespeare.
Great depth on historical sources and practical takeaways for further study.
Praises the host's knowledge and interview skills, though some note the theme music and intro could feel detached.
Informative and entertaining with expert guests that deepen understanding of Shakespeare's era.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to Insult Someone Like Shakespeare
Q: Are there gender differences in how insults are framed or received in Shakespeare?
Yes, the literature and treatises of the time show both men and women managing the tongue, with some plays portraying women as equal verbal sparring partners, though certain targets (like women) are often framed through familiar stereotypes such as shrew, whore, or witch.
The History, Design, and Fashion Culture of Gauntlet Gloves
Q: Who was actually wearing gloves that were this elaborate in Shakespeare's lifetime, and what did they signal about the wearer's wealth or social status?
These gloves were predominantly worn by elites and courtiers, produced in elite London workshops or perfumer collaborations, signaling status through expensive embroidery, metallic threads, and gemstones. They could act as a display of wealth and fashionable taste, especially in courtly settings.
The History, Design, and Fashion Culture of Gauntlet Gloves
Q: In your research, you examined surviving embroidered gauntlet gloves from both the Elizabethan and the Jacobean periods. To start us off, what exactly distinguishes a gauntlet glove from other types of gloves that would have been worn in Shakespeare's lifetime?
The gauntlet is defined by a hand section plus a long embroidered wrist cuff, often four inches deep, with heavy silk embroidery and sometimes leather hands. The style evolved from earlier gloves, with more elaborate decoration in the Elizabethan end and into the 17th century, signaling wealth and social status.
Evil May Day and Sir Thomas More
Q: Why might Shakespeare have chosen to omit Evil May Day from a Henry VIII-centered play, given its significance in the period?
Possible reasons include focusing on a more melodically resonant love triangle and avoiding ongoing current issues likeartisan violence and immigration that could invite censorship or political sensitivity; the material may have been considered too touchy for contemporary audiences.
Evil May Day and Sir Thomas More
Q: What are the key differences between Hall and Hollinshed's account and the play Sir Thomas More in terms of who is blamed for Evil May Day?
Hall and Hollinshed portray a shared blame among city leaders, merchants, and instigators, whereas the play places moral blame squarely on the strangers, portraying the rioters as righteous despite their actions.

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Frequently Asked Questions About That Shakespeare Life

What is That Shakespeare Life about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently delivers deep historical context around early modern England, Shakespeare's world, and related cultural artifacts. Episodes showcase expert guests—historians, university scholars, and public historians—discussing topics from costume and cosmetics to law, timekeeping, travel, and performance in Tudor and Stuart periods. A standout feature is the host's knack for connecting archival sources and primary materials to contemporary understanding, offering practical resources and curated suggestions for further study. Notable strengths include rigorous scholarly insights delivered in an accessible interview format, a strong emphasis on artifacts and everyday life, and a willingness to explore how historical details illumi... more

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Which podcasts are similar to That Shakespeare Life?

These podcasts share a similar audience with That Shakespeare Life:

1. Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited
2. The History of Literature
3. You're Dead to Me
4. Stuff You Missed in History Class
5. Not Just the Tudors

How many episodes of That Shakespeare Life are there?

That Shakespeare Life launched 8 years ago and published 438 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 That Shakespeare Life?

Recent guests on That Shakespeare Life include:

1. SarahJane Downing
2. Spencer Weinreich
3. Hannah Marples
4. Nathalie Vienne-Guerrin
5. Sarah Jane Downing
6. Shannon McSheffrey
7. David Hitchcock
8. Lee Raye

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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