The Best Shakespeare Productions

People often ask me what are the best productions of Shakespeare.

I have seen over 100 live performances of Shakespeare — and countless movie versions and stage performances on DVD.

The very best are by Dominic Dromgoole, who was the Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

He directed many plays in that time, and supervised many others.

They are the best. Not one bad production.

And they staged the complete play text. No massive cutting, like so many do.

These productions are available to buy or to stream from the Globe. There are subtitles.

Their productions of King Henry IV parts 1 and 2, and Henry V are absolute perfection.

Roger Allam as Falstaff is incredible.

Jamie Parker as Hal / Henry is fantastic.

The production of Titus Andronicus is superb.

It was the most popular Shakespeare play in his own lifetime.

This Globe production reveals the comedy in the midst of the tragedy very well.

The Dromgoole productions are the standard by which all other Shakespeare productions should be judged.

I am not suggesting that you should not see other productions.

What I am saying is that you must watch these—if you want to understand what makes Shakespeare productions good and what makes them bad. I have seen many other excellent productions.

Benedict Cumberbatch was the best Hamlet I have ever seen.

Tom Hiddleston was a great Coriolanus.

I have seen many bad and even terrible ones.

Sam Mendes is the worst Shakespeare director.

He simply thinks he knows better than Shakespeare—and directs the plays all wrong.

I hope this helps guide you in the right direction.

Cheers,