Catching Up With The Bard...

Yesterday on BBC1, "Imagine... Being Hamlet" aired and I wish I could have seen it. In the documentary, Alan Yentob follows Wayne Cater as he prepares to play Hamlet, the role many actors regard as their rite of passage. Other actors who have played the part are also interviewed, including Sir Derek Jacobi and Ralph Fiennes.

For those lucky enough to get BBC channels, another Shakespeare documentary will be airing on BBC4 Wednesday night: "The Hobart Shakespeareans", which spotlights fifth-graders at Hobart Elementary and their teacher Rafe Esquith, a man determined to introduce Shakespeare to his students. At the end of the year, the kids expertly stage Hamlet "with aplomb" and it's said to be something we just got to see. I wish I could!

While here at Suite101.com, you can read about soliloquies in "The Soliloquy..." and learn all about Canada's outdoor Shakespeare Festivals, thanks to Sarah B. Hood's awesome guide. (Thank you, Sarah!)