In "Julius Caesar," Brutus upholds liberty against tyranny. But what is tyranny? Presenter Brian Cox examines how William Shakespeare's play challenges all political systems and all definitions of tyranny, challenging us to wonder how well we even know ourselves.

Experience Alexander Ekman´s exceptional ballet, A Midsummer Night´s Dream, created for the Royal Swedish Ballet with a score by award-winning Mikael Karlsson. This contemporary ballet explores the energy and the mysteries of the summer solstice night in the Scandinavian tradition. The program also features experimental pop singer Anna von Hausswolff, acclaimed percussionist Niklas Brommare, and the classical string quartet Dahlkvistkvartetten.

Ian McKellen gives an awe-inspiring portrayal of Iago in this unique production of Shakespeare's Othello. McKellen, opera singer Willard White in the title role, and the rest of the cast have all been cited for their sterling performances. Based on the Royal Shakespeare Company's stage performance in Stratford, the film was presented by the BBC. The quality of this production reveals why director Trevor Nunn, the theatre phenomenon whose resume includes...

Penelope Mortimer, author of bestselling novel The Pumpkin Eater, offers her personal view of the "witty and pleasant comedy" The Taming of the Shrew, which celebrates the war between the sexes.

Reason and judgement prove no match for the tsunami of mutual passion engulfing Mark Antony, one of the three joint rulers of the Roman republic, and Cleopatra, the seductive queen of Egypt. Surrendering everything to their desires, they open the floodgates to a civil conflict that will shake the very foundations of their world. An HD film based on the Stratford Festival’s 2014 production of Antony and Cleopatra.

General Sir John Hackett gives an introduction to Shakespeare's Coriolanus, which portrays a soldier-hero who is destroyed by his unyielding pride.

Michael Wood presents a personal view of Henry VI Part II. He questions the portrayal of Henry as "a naive, weak but moral man crumbling under the force of history and the corruption of politics."

Broadcaster Russell Davies introduces The Two Gentlemen of Verona, a comedy of young love which offers some fascinating variations on the mating game.

Journalist Jilly Cooper presents a personal view of the play The Merry Wives of Windsor, which she regards as "a sort of Elizabethan Mrs. Dale 's Diary."

Comedian Roy Hudd illustrates some of the timeless gags and comic routines that sharpen this comedy of mistaken identities. From the Famous City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds, with Cyril Cusack, Roger Daltrey, Joanne Pearce and Michael Kitchen, among others.