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Artwork for That Shakespeare Life

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes434Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHistory

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Artwork for That Shakespeare Life

Latest Episodes

Zounds! Your Bunched Back toad! In Shakespeare's plays we find a hoard of truly fabulous one liners, zingers, and impressive insults that frequent the lips of our favorite characters.

When they were written in the 16th century, some of the words w... more

In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet declares "Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face, Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek" Katharina in Taming of the SHrew talks about painting your face, and Timon of Athens makes a connection between painting a... more

YouTube

Immigration, labor tensions, and social unrest were pressing realities in Shakespeare's England—and few events capture that strain more vividly than the 1517 uprising known as Evil May Day. In this week's episode, historian Shannon McSheffrey joins u... more

YouTube

For the 16th century, a vagrant was someone who operated outside of societal norms, someone who moved around without a fixed home, or produced a profit without the oversight of a noble patron.

In a culture that highly prized both hierarchy and orga... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

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
Laurence Grove
Professor of French and Text Image Studies at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
Episode: Courts, Rackets, Balls, and Rules: The Game of Tennis in the 16th Century
Peter Marshall
Author of Reformation England 1480 to 1642 and professor at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
Episode: Easter in Shakespeare's England: Faith, Feasting, and a New Doublet
Teresa Grant
Director of the Center for the Study of the Renaissance; Professor of Renaissance Theatre, University of Warwick
University of Warwick
Episode: Monkeys and Apes in Shakespeare's England
Julia Martins
Public historian specializing in early modern European history
Living History by Julia Martins
Episode: Children's Toys and Games in Tudor England:

Host

Cassidy Cash
Host of That Shakespeare Life with focus on Shakespearean biography and history

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.

Host asks incisive questions and guides conversations with clarity and curiosity.
Listeners praise accessible, narrative-rich exploration of historical contexts.
High production quality and consistently engaging scholarly discussions.
Guests are deeply knowledgeable and bring historical depth that enriches understanding of Shakespeare.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#131
South Korea/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
Homelessness and Vagrancy in Shakespeare's England
Q: What measures were instituted during Shakespeare's lifetime, and why were they so significantly different than what had been done before?
Dr. Hitchcock explains that the late 16th and early 17th centuries saw a surge in national-level, reform-oriented statutes building on medieval roots, creating a broad and flexible framework to regulate mobility and poverty. Enforcement varied in practice, often less harsh than the written statutes, and there were many unintended consequences, including the colonial expansion of punitive mobility controls.
Children's Toys and Games in Tudor England:
Q: Could you name a few specific toys that illustrate everyday life for Tudor children?
She highlights wooden toys like hobby horses, dolls (including Bartholomew babies), windmills made from paper or thin wood, toy soldiers, and game pieces for Nine Men's Morris, chess, and backgammon, all of which show how play intersected with family life, gender roles, and education.
Children's Toys and Games in Tudor England:
Q: What are some resources you can recommend for us to explore Tudor games further?
Dr. Martins recommends Nicholas Orme's work for accessible, example-filled histories; Anthony Fletcher's Growing Up in England; and museum resources such as the Museum of London Docklands and the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, plus the Museum of London Archaeology blog for ongoing posts about toys.

Audience Metrics

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

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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?

A history-focused interview show that explores the world behind Shakespeare's life, drawing on rigorous scholarship, archival research, and expert interpretation. Episodes frequently feature historians, curators, and literary scholars who unpack attribution, timekeeping, travel, court culture, and the social context of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. Listeners gain a richly contextual portrait of Shakespeare's era through academic guests, intimate discussions of primary sources, and practical takes on how historical evidence informs performance and storytelling. The program often stands out for its detailed explorations of niche topics (like rogue cant, gift culture at court, and the Ides of March) and its ability to connect scholarly ins... 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. HistoryExtra podcast
3. In Our Time
4. The Ancients
5. The History of Literature

How many episodes of That Shakespeare Life are there?

That Shakespeare Life launched 8 years ago and published 434 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. Sarah Jane Downing
2. Shannon McSheffrey
3. David Hitchcock
4. Lee Raye
5. Michael Walsh
6. Laurence Grove
7. Peter Marshall
8. Teresa Grant

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