Richard Pasco

The BBC is celebrating this extraordinary anniversary with an ambitious season of content across TV, Radio, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sounds exploring why, 400 years on, Shakespeare's relevance and influence is as strong as ever. A wealth of programming featuring major actors and leading experts, including new documentaries, performance, music, drama, comedy, news coverage and the best of the BBC archive, as well as special items on flagship BBC shows, will celebrate the man, his world and his timeless writing.

BritBox, the subscription streaming service from BBC Studios and ITV with the largest collection of British television content in North America, will launch the full BBC Television Shakespeare Collection on May 26.

Stephen Daldry's multi-award-winning revival of J.B. Priestley's AN INSPECTOR CALLS will land at The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts January 22 through February 10, 2019 as part of its international tour. This production, the longest running revival of a play in history, has already been seen by over four million theatregoers worldwide. I had the most lovely opportunity to chat up Jeff Harmer (who limns the role of patriarch Arthur Birling) on his history and experiences with this and other INSPECTORs.

Donmar Warehouse opened Lyndsey Turner's FATHERS AND SONS by Brian Friel, on 10 June. It stars Anthony Calf, Elaine Cassidy, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Susan Engel, David Fielder, Joshua James, Karl Johnson,Tim McMullan, Jack McMullen, Siobhan McSweeney, Seth Numrich, Phoebe Sparrow, and Lindy Whiteford.

Shakespearean icons such as Laurence Olivier and Judi Dench will be among the actors featured in the RSC's new CD set The Essential Shakespeare--Live