The King & The Playwright: A Jacobean HistoryJanuary 9, 2017

It's 1606, and in the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot the authorities are cracking down on Catholics. Shakespeare's Macbeth captures the anxiety and obsessions of the time, with James continuing to focus on succession and legitimacy, while food riots in the Midlands create the climate for the gripping tragedy of Coriolanus.

The King & The Playwright: A Jacobean History was broadcast on BBC4 at Monday 9 January 2017, 06:13.