Shakespeare's Restless World

A deep dive into beliefs about witches in late 16th-century England and Scotland. Stories of a storm-tossed royal voyage and sensational trials bring political fear and magic to life. A church-hung model ship and a confessed witch’s eerie rites highlight how objects and pamphlets shaped public perceptions of power and peril.

Lisa Jardine, a historian of Renaissance science and culture, explains the figure of John Dee and the magus in Elizabethan England. The conversation covers Dee's polished obsidian mirror and angelic dialogues. They explore how mathematics, optics and theatrical spectacle blurred science and magic. The link between scientific authority and colonial ambition is also discussed.

A journey through London’s streets and playhouses, using a 16th-century woollen cap to reveal class signals and fashion. Learn how caps, hats and forms of address marked social rank and even madness on stage. Hear about apprentices’ swagger, theatre mischief and how caps became symbols of mob identity during hunger and riots.

Contributors including Andrew Hadfield and Ciarán Brady, historians of Elizabethan Ireland, unpack a rare woodcut and the image of Rory Oge O'Moore. Short, vivid scenes explore kerns as off-stage threats, the Nine Years War’s cost, and fears of Spanish intervention. Fast-moving historical snapshots reveal how images and plays shaped English views of Ireland.

A close look at Henry V’s real armour and how regal arms doubled as theatrical props. A tour of Westminster Abbey as a shabby Tudor tourist spot with embalmed royals on display. Exploration of the rise of the history play and its role in shaping patriotic memory and civic education. Tales of Henry and Catherine as public celebrities and the odd rituals of burial and sightseeing.

A lively look at swords, daggers and the swagger of Elizabethan streets and theatres. Objects recovered from the Thames lead to tales of theft, drunken loss and lethal techniques. Discussions connect fencing schools, staged swordplay and real brawls that shaped how plays were seen. Fashion, status and the violent rules of gentlemanly conduct come vividly to life.

A deep dive into the taboo of Tudor succession and why naming an heir was legally dangerous. A mysterious print and an earlier painting are used to reveal changing political anxieties. Spymaster plots and rival claimants are linked to fears of civil war and foreign intervention. The narrative follows how these tensions shaped public life and theatrical storytelling before a surprising peaceful resolution.

Julian Bauscher, an archaeologist who led digs at Elizabethan theatres for the Museum of London, joins to examine theatre finds. Short scenes cover food remains like nuts, oysters and bread. They reveal a fancy iron fork, how penny entry and the box office worked, and how eating and drink shaped Southwark entertainment and onstage spectacle.

A historic communion cup reveals how religious change reshaped public rituals and politics in Shakespearean England. The shift from Catholic to Protestant worship and compulsory church attendance altered daily life and community identity. Local records and acts like whitewashing show how reform played out on the ground. Drama and succession fears get linked to lingering old beliefs and national anxieties.

A look at how one sailor's circumnavigation reshaped English views of the world and national ambition. A silver medal is revealed as a portable world map and piece of political theatre. Maps and inscriptions that provoked rivals are explored. The Globe is reframed as a stage reflecting newfound global awareness.