Shakespeare: The Animated Tales - Series 2
1 - King Richard III
Air Date: November 2, 1994
A portrayal of Shakespeare's darkest villain Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and his unquenchable thirst for the throne.
2 - The Taming of the Shrew
Air Date: November 9, 1994
Shakespeare's witty battle of the sexes is given a fresh airing in puppet animation. The unlikely bonding of a headstrong Kate and domineering Petruchio is only one aspect of a play about change and the magical transformations that theatre can produce.
3 - As You Like It
Air Date: November 16, 1994
This bright and comic tale is famed as the only play written by Shakespeare in which he is known to have appeared himself - playing Adam, the old retainer to the hero Orlando. The sunniest of his comedies, the play tells of a group of courtiers escaping to the Forest of Arden where they meet, philosophise and fall in love.
4 - Julius Caesar
Air Date: November 30, 1994
A compelling study of personal ambition versus the good of the state.
5 - The Winter's Tale
Air Date: December 7, 1994
Exquisitely sculptured Russian puppets perform this powerful and enchanting story full of regal and rustic characters. A fit of temper has tragic results for King Leontes. Sixteen years later, the gods and humbler mortals intervene to craft a happy, magical ending.
6 - Othello
Air Date: December 14, 1994
In the last in the series, the playwright's most famous dramatic study of jealousy and its tragic effects are conveyed vividly in a striking drawn animation style. The warmth of the Mediterranean contrasts with the coldness in lago's heart as he turns his noble master, Othello, against the beautiful and innocent Desdemona.