{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Simon Russell Beale on Shakespeare, from Hamlet to Titus","description":"Called \u201cthe finest actor of his generation,\u201d Sir Simon Russell Beale has played just about everyone in Shakespeare\u2019s canon\u2014Hamlet, Lear, Macbeth, Falstaff, Malvolio, Iago\u2014and most recently, Titus Andronicus, for the Royal Shakespeare Company. In this episode, Beale reflects on the Shakespearean roles that have shaped his career and how his approach to them has evolved over time. He shares what drew him to Titus, and how he found surprising tenderness in Shakespeare\u2019s brutal tragedy. The actor revisits past performances, exploring grief in Hamlet, aging and dementia in King Lear, and how time has deepened his connection to the plays and the characters. Beale\u2019s memoir, A Piece of Work: Playing Shakespeare & Other Stories, is a moving and often humorous reflection on acting, Shakespeare, and the power of performance to reveal something essential about being human. Sir Simon Russell Beale studied at Cambridge before joining the RSC. Described by the Daily Telegraph as \u201cthe finest actor of his generation,\u201d he has been lauded for both his stage and TV work, winning many awards including the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Evening Standard Best Actor Award, and the BAFTA Best Actor Award. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published June 17, 2025. \u00a9 Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola Garc\u00eda Acu\u00f1a. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. Final mixing services are provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. ","author_name":"Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited","author_url":"http:\/\/www.folger.edu\/shakespeare-unlimited","html":"