The Shakespeare Birthday Party: Recent Episodes
Danny and Grace Fitzpatrick
In this podcast we will read and discuss all of William Shakespeare’s plays over the course of a year, starting and ending on the Bard’s birthday. Together we’ll explore the big questions the plays put on the table and the poetry that makes those questions so human. Along the way we’ll be joined by poets, scholars, playwrights, and actors who can help us celebrate the poet whose influence continues to resound loudest over the Western world. Happy birthday, Shakespeare!
In which Grace and Danny discuss grief, weak leadership, and how three lions are not necessarily better than none.
In which Grace and Danny discuss Ken Branagh, the good of knowing the end before you’ve begun, and the education of women’s eyes.
In which Grace and Danny discuss prodigal fathers, Lady Fortune, and total, abject misery.
In which Grace and Danny discuss the Divine Comedy and Blackadder’s Russian codpiece—always terrifies the clergy, as Enid—I mean, Edmund—says!
In which Grace and Danny discuss Cole Porter, Newland Archer (The Age of Innocence) [Edith Wharton], and Jeeves and Wooster. As one does.
It’s a special triple episode following the ignominious and scholarly demise of Henry VI.
In which Grace and Danny discuss the tripartite soul, Ralph Fiennes’ hair, and the loneliness of dragons.
In which Grace and Danny discuss honor, tax evasion, strange wooing, and the dogs of war.
In which Grace and Danny discuss Christopher Sly, Jacob and Laban, and the resonance of names.
In which Grace and Danny discuss the Fall, plague, the Michael Scott story (what did Jan say?), and the founding of Rome.
Double episode! In which Grace and Danny discuss honor, John Lithgow, and the glory of Rome.
In which Grace and Danny discuss the exotic power of the potato, the origins of Bilbo, and the lovable reprobates of literature.
In which Grace and I revisit Falstaff, consider the merits of Hal, and delight in Mistress Quickly.
In which Grace and Danny discuss monarchs, wastrel sons, philosopher reprobates, and Baloo the Bear.
In which Grace and Danny discuss true love, Rene Girard, literary walkoffs (Zoolander style), and big Geoff Chaucer.
In which Grace and Danny delve into bordellos, the world’s worst luck, piracy (two kinds), and Pixar.
In which Grace and I discuss the strangeness of the boar: his methods of seduction, his overweening (and overwhelming) pride, and his complete disregard for eternity.
In which predictive text tries to change Othello to or hello, a far cheerier and less informative title, and in which Grace and I marvel at the mischief of Iago.
In which Grace and I discuss the dancing, war, the prodigal son, puns, and the ineptitude of Count Claudio.
Wherein Grace and I discuss art, beauty, bravery, and freedom, not to mention Disney princesses, stuttering aesthetes, and fish.
Happy birthday, William Shakespeare! Today we introduce Danny and Grace and talk a little bit about Shakespeare’s importance to us and the plan for the show. Enjoy!