BBC Radio Podcasts from Shakespeare's Restless World
20. Shakespeare Goes Global
How a folio of collected plays in 1623 began the creation of a global phenomenon.
19. The Theatres of Cruelty
A human eyeball in a silver setting gives a striking insight into the theatre of cruelty.
18. London Becomes Rome
Neil MacGregor surveys the triumphal arches created for James I's entry into London.
17. Plague and the Playhouse
Early 17th-century proclamations reveal the impact of the 1603 plague outbreak.
16. A Time of Change, a Change of Time
A striking clock reveals the changing relationship Shakespeare's audiences had to time.
15. The Flag That Failed
The problems in creating a Great Britain are encapsulated in designs for a common flag.
14. Disguise and Deception
A pedlar's trunk reveals deception and religion, cross-dressing and travelling salesmen.
13. From London to Marrakech
Sunken gold from West Africa sheds light on England's complex relationship with the Moors.
12. Sex and the City
Neil MacGregor on how a delicate glass goblet reveals the twin seductions of Venice.
11. Treason and Plots
Tabloid history of Shakespeare's England via contemporary accounts of royal murder plots.
10. Toil and Trouble
A model ship hung in a church reveals the differences between Scottish and English witches
9. New Science, Old Magic
A disc of black obsidian from Mexico reflects the Elizabethan fascination with astrology.
8. City Life, Urban Strife
Neil MacGregor explores life in Shakespeare's London through an apprentice's woollen cap.
7. Ireland: Failures in the Present
A rare woodcut offers an insight into the troubles and tragedies of Elizabethan Ireland.
6. Europe: Triumphs of the Past
What Henry V's armoury tells us about the depiction of history on the Elizabeth stage.
5. Swordplay and Swagger
Neil MacGregor explores the essential accoutrements of any self-respecting gentleman.
4. Life without Elizabeth
The story behind a portrait justifying Elizabeth I's position in the Tudor succession.
3. Snacking Through Shakespeare
A fork found on the site of the Rose Theatre reveals what people ate in the Bard's time.
2. Communion and Conscience
Neil MacGregor uses the Stratford Chalice to explore the world in Shakespeare's time.
1. England Goes Global
Assessing the impact of Sir Francis Drake's Circumnavigation Medal.