Michael Wood and Shakespeare

I liked Wood's Troy series and thought he had a magnetic personality for television but then I forgot about him until I saw an ad for this new series.

I like Shakespeare too. I've seen productions of all of the comedies, most of the dramas, and a few of the histories over the years, but I have a poor memory for details and often confuse plot lines (especially the comedies).

Took an undergraduate class from a Chaucer specialist who was just filling in; out of that I got an itch that has never been scratched to see "Measure for Measure" done with a lighter, more satirical touch. I'm probably off base but the idea just won't go away.

I count myself a Shakepeare fan, but I confess I am unfamiliar with Michael Wood. Tell me more about this TV special.

POM, I loves Shakespeare, but am not acquainted with Wood. I was also fascinated with Schliemann ever since I read Robert Silverberg's Lost Cities and Vanished civilizations. Amazing stuff.

Re: Michael Wood and Shakespeare


I am. I haven't seen Wood's book, but certainly did enjoy both the Troy and Shakespeare fetures. In his organization of the material, and in his delivery as well, he manages to capture and vividly express the wonder of discovery and understanding of spomething and someone long passed into history.

georgeob said it well. There is something about the way Michael Wood organizes material, presenting it as a detective story, that is riveting. He's got two degrees in history from either Oxford or Cambridge and like a lot of British television people, he has that sort of earnest, energetic enthusiasm that just carries the viewer along.

The series didn't begin this week -- I was wrong. Should begin soon in the Boston market.

Guess the series begins THIS Wednesday.