Norman Rodway

At the turn of the 20th century, one remarkable man single-handedly tried to alter the course of history. Sidney Reilly was a Russian-born British agent who radically transformed modern espionage techniques and set the mold for the super spy. From one heart-pulsing mission after another, from stealing top-secret Russian oil information to a near overthrow of the Bolshevik Revolution to his final capture by Stalin's forces in 1918, Reilly's exploits...

When England's aging King Lear renounces his throne to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, treachery, madness and murder soon follow. After banishing Cordelia, his most loyal daughter, Lear is betrayed and cast out by her elder sisters Regan and Goneril. Meanwhile, evil brews at the Gloucester castle as Edgar falls victim to his brother's deception. As battle lines are drawn and backs are stabbed, Lear rages against a fearsome storm.

Charles and Lydia Brett, darlings of the West End for decades, turn on the charm when the curtain rises, but their behind-the-scenes family life is even more intriguing.

John Barton guides members of the Royal Shakespeare Company in nine intensive acting workshops, demonstrating how the Company makes Shakespeare's classic plays accessible to modern audiences without compromising the text's integrity.