The Play Podcast

The Play Podcast - 046 - All My Sons Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Douglas Rintoul The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Arthur Miller’s breakthrough play All My Sons is both a searing family tragedy and an exploration of the moral challenges that...

The Play Podcast - 045 - Top Girls Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Elaine Aston The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Caryl Churchill’s play Top Girls was a powerful critique of Thatcherite Britain when it was written in 1982. It’s rightly renowned for...

The Play Podcast - 044 - Clybourne Park Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Oliver Kaderbhai The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. It is 1959 and Russ and Bev have sold their 3-bedroom bungalow in the all-white neighbourhood of Clybourne Park in Chicago to...

The Play Podcast - 043 - Faith Healer by Brian Friel Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Joe Dowling The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Brian Friel’s play Faith Healer is a literary and theatrical masterpiece, acclaimed for the beauty of its language,...

The Play Podcast - 042 - Blasted by Sarah Kane Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Graham Saunders The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Sarah Kane’s explosive play Blasted outraged critics on its debut in 1995 with its disturbing depictions of sex and...

Episode 041: Doubt by John Patrick Shanley Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Monica Dolan The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Sister Aloysius Beauvier, principal of St Nicholas Catholic school in the Bronx in 1964, has her doubts about the school...

Episode 040: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time adapted by Simon Stephens Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Simon Stephens The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Simon Stephens’s magical adaptation of Mark Haddon’s bestselling novel The...

Episode 039: Best of Enemies by James Graham Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: James Graham The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. James Graham's new play Best of Enemies re-enacts the explosive TV debates between American political pundits Gore Vidal and...

Episode 038: Macbeth by William Shakespeare Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Professor Emma Smith The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. William Shakespeare's Macbeth is a tragedy of love, ambition and betrayal, propelled by relentless energy and...

Episode 037: Blue/Orange by Joe Penhall Host: Douglas Schatz Guests: Joe Penhall and James Dacre The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. In Joe Penhall’s explosive and unsettling play Blue/Orange we are asked to observe and judge an extended debate...

Episode 036: Hamlet by William Shakespeare Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Greg Hersov The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. It is arguably the world’s most famous play. The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark contains all of the elements of...

Episode 035: Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Matt Beresford The Play Podcast is a podcast dedicated to exploring the greatest new and classic plays. In each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. It is 1789 and a group of convicts in the newly-founded colony of Botany Bay in Australia are assembled to...

Episode 034: The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Matt Beresford Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We’ll discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. George Farquhar’s rollicking Restoration Comedy The Recruiting Officer is ostensibly a portrait of officers engaged in...

Episode 033: Leopoldstadt by Tom Stoppard Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Patrick Marber Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We’ll discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Tom Stoppard’s ambitious new play Leopoldstadt is a sweeping work of history and ideas which charts the diaspora and decline of an...

Episode 032: Footnotes Volume 3 Host: Douglas Schatz Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We’ll discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Footnotes Volume 3 is a recording of the facts and observations that we’ve published on the website to supplement the plays that we’ve covered in episodes 24-31. A...

Episode 031: Happy Days by Samuel Beckett Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Lisa Dwan Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We’ll discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Samuel Beckett’s third great dramatic masterpiece Happy Days is a timeless exploration of existential threat and personal survival. It’s...

Episode 030: Escaped Alone by Caryl Churchill Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Elaine Aston Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We’ll discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Caryl Churchill’s stunning play Escaped Alone presents an ordinary scene of four women of a certain age chatting over tea in a...

Episode 029: A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Nadine Holdsworth Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We’ll discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Shelagh Delaney’s A Taste of Honey caused a sensation when it appeared at the Theatre Royal Stratford in 1958 because of...

Episode 028: Girl from the North Country by Conor McPherson, music and lyrics by Bob Dylan Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Conor McPherson Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We’ll discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Girl from the North Country is an extraordinary collaboration between the...

Episode 027: Present Laughter by Noël Coward Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Alan Brodie Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We’ll discuss the play’s origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Garry Essendine is a star of the London stage with an ego and celebrity lifestyle to match. But as he passes forty his excesses...