To celebrate William Shakespeare’s April 26th birthday (he’s not quite 500 yet!) here are some great queer and gender productions of some of his finest plays available to view online

Brit queer director Phyllida Lloyd mounted an  all-female trilogy of plays comprising Julius Caesar, Henry IV and The Tempest  playing at London’s Donmar Warehouse and all set in a women’s prison. Here is Dame Harriet Walter’s compelling performances as Brutus in Julius Caesar which earned her a 2nd Drama Desk Nomination when the play later opened Off Broadway

Available https://www.marquee.tv/series/shakespearetrilogy

 

The Brit actor Sir Mark Rylance, winner of 3 Tony Awards and an Oscar starred in all-male production of  the romantic comedy TWELFTH NIGHT at London’s Globe the home of Shakespearean Theatre in 2013.  Rylance played Olivia, with Roger Lloyd-Pack as Sir Anthony Aguecheek. The production also marks Stephen Fry’s triumphant return to the stage as the pompous Malvolio, ridiculous in his yellow stockings.

Available to view https://globeplayer.tv/

 

There are two major Shakespearean roles that every classically trained actor yearns to play and that includes the lead in HAMLET one of the Bard’s greatest tragedies.  There are also more than a few actresses that  yearn to tackle the role including Brit Maxine Peake who played it in a critically acclaimed sold-out production at The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester 

Available to view on Digital Theatre and Amazon Prime 

 

Technically this is not pure Shakespeare BUT as they were so many rumours  about him have a gay lover (!) maybe he would approve of this wee queer film.

Over a weekend eight male high school cadets are left behind when the rest of the McKinley Military Academy go away on an Exercise and they are ordered to carry on with their studies regardless. In the English Literature Class they are studying ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and the two young men reading the leads begin to take it all very seriously and live their roles as the star-crossed lovers for real.

Rather than the city of Verona, the setting is the hallway, gym and dorms of the School, and whilst the script is punctuated with occasional references to their daily routine, it sticks faithfully to Shakespeare’s glorious text. It transforms the piece into a modern-day gay tragedy.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime : check out Queerguru’s full review  HERE