The Play Podcast

The Play Podcast

Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore 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 plot, themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Visit www.theplaypodcast.com for more information, including extra Footnotes on each episode and a complete list and profiles of our guests. Visit www.patreon.com/theplaypodcast to become a Patron and enjoy additional content and generously support the podcast. Thank you. Also, listen to The Play Review for reviews of some of the current shows on stage in London.

Episodes

October 6, 2026 • 56 mins

Episode 115: The Dance of Death by August Strindberg

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Sir Richard Eyre

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.

August Strindberg's The Dance of Death is set in a rem...

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Episode 114: Love's Labour's Lost by William Shakespeare

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Tom Littler

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.

William Shake...

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Episode 113A: Arcadia Footnotes

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.

Read more

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Episode 113: Arcadia by Tom Stoppard

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Carrie Cracknell

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 1993 play, Arcadia is viewed by many as his finest...

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Episode 112: Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Mark Lawson

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.

David Mamet's modern American classic, Glengarry Glen Ross, is a...

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Episode 111: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guests: Stephen Sharkey and Tom Kuhn


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.

Bertolt Brecht's 'gangste...

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Episode 110: Our Town by Thornton Wilder

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Howard Sherman

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.

Playwright Edward Albee described Thornton Wilder's Our Tow...

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Episode 109: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Dr Hester Lees-Jeffries

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.

William Shakespeare's Romeo and J...

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Episode 108: The Lady from the Sea by Henrik Ibsen

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guests: Professor Kirsten Shepherd, Tzen Sam

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.

When Henrik Ibsen's lyrical pla...

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Episode 107: Entertaining Mr Sloane by Joe Orton

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Dr Emma Parker

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.

Joe Orton's black comedy Entertaining Mr Sloane&nbs...

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Episode 106: End by David Eldridge

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: David Eldridge

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.

 David Eldridge's new play End is the final instalment ...

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Episode 105: The Weir by Conor McPherson

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.

The curtain rises on a small rural pub in northwest Ireland. A ...

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Episode 104: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Will Tosh

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.

William Shakespeare's romantic comedy, Twelfth Night, or Wha...

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Episode 103: Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Max Webster

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.

Titus Andronicus is Shakespeare's first tragedy, a...

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Episode 102: Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guests: Duncan Macmillan
             Jonny Donahoe

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. Fo...

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Episode 101: The 101 Greatest Plays

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guests: Michael Billington
             Mark Lawson

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.

In 2015 t...

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Episode 100: A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O'Neill

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Beth Wynstra

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.

A Moon for the Misbegotten is the last play that Euge...

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Episode 099: Till the Stars Come Down by Beth Steel

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Beth Steel

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.

It is Sylvia and Marek's wedding day. But this is not an entirely ...

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Episode 098: Stereophonic by David Adjmi

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: David Adjmi

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.

It is 1976, and a fictional rock band are holed up in a studio in California...

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Episode 097: Giant by Mark Rosenblatt

Host: Douglas Schatz
Guest: Mark Rosenblatt

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.

It is 1983, and the famous children's author Roald Dahl's life is in some t...

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