Rephonic
Artwork for The Play's the Thing

The Play's the Thing

CiRCE Podcast Network
Shakespeare
Hamlet
Macbeth
Henry V
As You Like It
Romeo and Juliet
Measure For Measure
William Shakespeare
Ophelia
Leadership
Isabella
Fate
Gertrude
Romantic Love
Claudio
Antony and Cleopatra
Ambition
Claudius
Lady Macbeth
Juliet

The Play's the Thing is the ultimate podcast resource for lovers of Shakespeare. Dedicating six episodes to each play (one per act, plus a Q&A episode), this podcast explores the themes, scenes, characters, and lines that make Shakespeare so memorable. In the end, we will cover every play The Bard wrote, thus permitting an ongoing contemplation and celebration of the most important writer of all t... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes204Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
FictionBooksArtsDrama

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Play's the Thing

Latest Episodes

In this episode Tim and Sarah-Jane dive deeper into Shakespeare's underrated tragedy by comparing some of the great performances of the play, exploring Coriolanus' use of language, Volumnia's use of rhetoric, and much more.

Hosted on Acast. See acas... more

In this episode Tim and Sarah-Jane dive deeper into Shakespeare's underrated tragedy by comparing some of the great performances of the play, exploring Coriolanus' use of language, Volumnia's use of rhetoric, and much more.

Hosted on Acast. See acas... more

Join Tim McIntosh and Sarah-Jane Bentley for a spirited discussion about one of Shakespeare's underrated (but most interesting) plays, Coriolanus. In this episode they chat about Act I, introducing the play, the characters, the themes, and much more.... more

In which Tim, Heidi, and Sarah-Jane answer your questions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Close Reads Podcast
Close Reads PodcastGoldberry Studios
The Daily Poem
The Daily PoemGoldberry Studios
The Literary Life Podcast
The Literary Life PodcastAngelina Stanford Thomas Banks
Classical Stuff You Should Know
Classical Stuff You Should KnowA.J. Hanenburg, Graeme Donaldson, and Thomas Magbee
Scholé Sisters: Camaraderie for Classical Homeschooling Mamas
Scholé Sisters: Camaraderie for Classical Homeschooling MamasBrandy Vencel, Mystie Winckler, and Abby Wahl

Recent Guests

Judith Sparky Roberts
Shakespeare educator and contributor
Guest on Merchant of Venice Q&A
Episode: The Merchant of Venice: Q&A (rerun)
James Shapiro
Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, author of Shakespeare in a Divided America
Columbia University
Episode: James Shapiro and Shakespeare in a Divided America (rerun)
Mary Pat Rogers
Has a master's degree from the University of Dallas and teaches rhetoric, Latin, and British literature, especially Shakespeare.
University of Dallas
Episode: Measure for Measure: Act V

Hosts

Tim McIntosh
Host of the series with a theatre background, often steering discussions with a mix of performance insight and scholarly context
Heidi White
Co-host providing literary and performance perspective, noted for commentary on Hamlet and other plays
Sarah-Jane Bentley
Co-host known for close readings, discussion of staging and teaching Shakespeare

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 378 ratings
  • Seem knowledgeable, but…

    …the are VERY long winded and they have fallen into the trap of thinking the they’re the smartest people in the room and that they are the authority and that ONLY they have the proper interpretation of Shakespeare.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    McDuck1977
    United States2 months ago
  • So Awesome!

    You folks are manna from Shakespeare Heaven. Thank you so very much.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RevAvery
    United States3 months ago
  • So thankful!

    I am so thankful to have found this podcast. What a delight! My Shakespeare cup runneth over!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    torahforall
    United States8 months ago
  • To be Hamlet

    I have been enjoying your Hamlet series. As a literature teacher who knows every line of the full play, there are moments when I find your interpretations challenging me to think of beloved scenes in new ways. At others, I find myself talking back to where my ear pods shut off. Your discussion of Fortinbras in act 4 was one such place. Fortinbras is Hamlet’s foil, which Hamlet makes clear in the battlefield scene. Our protagonist envies Fortinbras. He is resolute, strong of mind and conviction—a... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    KTP1915
    United Statesa year ago
  • MacBeth

    This was an awesome discussion of MacBeth. I thought I knew the play well but I gained so much from listening to these episodes. Thank you!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    elbybo
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the deep, scholarly analysis and accessible teaching guidance.
Some praise the banter and classroom applications, others note long pauses and occasional rambling.
Many highlight the hosts' breadth of Shakespeare knowledge and practical teaching tips.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#220
United States/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Merchant of Venice: Q&A (rerun)
Q: Heidi mentioned a word that means a test of worthiness. Can you help me with this term and how it applies to Bassanio in Merchant of Venice?
The term discussed is related to the idea of proving a suitor's worthiness, often through tests and symbolic gestures like the ring and the casket choices; it's a recurring device in Shakespearean comedies to show a hero proving himself worthy of the heroine's hand.
Romeo + Juliet: Act III (rerun)
Q: What is Friar Laurence asking Romeo?
He challenges Romeo's disintegration after killing Tybalt and emphasizes that Romeo should remember his identity and not succumb to despair.
Romeo + Juliet: Act III (rerun)
Q: Is his love for his enemy because his enemy is related to Juliet?
They discuss whether Romeo's ability to love Tybalt stems from his relationship with Juliet or if it's a transformation within Romeo himself that transcends familial ties.
Romeo + Juliet: Act I (rerun)
Q: What are Romeo and Juliet's rivals in the popular imagination?
There aren't many clear rivals, as Romeo and Juliet's influence in popular culture is very distinct.
Romeo + Juliet: Act I (rerun)
Q: What makes The Play so enduring?
It depicts romantic love in a way that's idealized and transcendent, making it resonate with many people.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Play's the Thing

What is The Play's the Thing about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A meticulous Shakespeare-focused show that allocates six episodes per play (one per act) plus a Q&A, offering close readings, historical context, and staging ideas. Across episodes, listeners engage with themes like mercy, justice, love, fate, and moral philosophy, with hosts balancing textual analysis, performance insights, and classroom pedagogy. Notable strengths include accessible explanations of complex scenes, strong emphasis on hermeneutics and teaching applications, and a reputation for thoughtful banter that pairs scholarly rigor with practical interpretation. It's probably especially appealing to teachers, actors, and literature lovers who want deep dives that connect the text to modern reading and performance.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Play's the Thing?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Play's the Thing. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Play's the Thing and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Play's the Thing get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Play's the Thing, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Play's the Thing?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Play's the Thing, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Play's the Thing have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Play's the Thing has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Play's the Thing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Play's the Thing:

1. Close Reads Podcast
2. The Daily Poem
3. The Literary Life Podcast
4. Classical Stuff You Should Know
5. Scholé Sisters: Camaraderie for Classical Homeschooling Mamas

How many episodes of The Play's the Thing are there?

The Play's the Thing launched 8 years ago and published 204 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Play's the Thing?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Play's the Thing?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Play's the Thing from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Play's the Thing?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Play's the Thing. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Play's the Thing?

Recent guests on The Play's the Thing include:

1. Judith Sparky Roberts
2. James Shapiro
3. Mary Pat Rogers

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days