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BBC1 returns to the Bard Following where The Canterbury Tales left off, BBC1 is now lining up four new big-budget contemporary adaptations of the Bard for this autumn, its first Shakespearean dramas for over 15 years. "There have been modern versions of Shakespeare before but these new interpretations remain true to the originals," said BBC head of drama series and serials, Laura Mackie. "At the same time, they are unashamedly a very personal take by each writer - our aspiration is that they work on their own terms for a modern audience." All in-house BBC Drama productions, the foursome includes Sally Wainwright's version of The Taming of the Shrew, starring Shirley Henderson as somewhat Machiavellian MP and Rufus Sewell as her husband. David Richards (Conviction, Reckless) directs. In David Nicholls' Much Ado About Nothing, Sarah Parish stars as the presenter of a regional news show whose ex-lover and arch enemy, played by Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers), is hired as her co-anchor. Brian Percival directs. Peter Moffat has transported Macbeth to the claustrophobic world of a top restaurant kitchen, with James McAvoy and Keeley Hawes starring; while Peter Bowker has set A Midsummer Night's Dream during a weekend in a holiday park. Mark Brozel will direct Macbeth, Ed Fraiman will direct Dream. The four films will be "the centrepiece of a commitment across the BBC this autumn to engage and entertain the widest possible audience with Shakespeare's stories in new and original ways," said the broadcaster, no doubt hoping the high brow classics will ease perpetual sniping about the Corporation chasing ratings. With further Shakespearean adaptations in the pipeline if these first four prove successful, BBC1 also today unveiled a summer season dedicated to Africa. New programmes like Geldof on Africa and The Girl In The Café will sit alongside themed versions of existing shows like Ground Force and Strictly African Dancing. 15 Mar 2005 © C21 Media 2005 
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