Shakespeare Full Circle

Well, here we are. We have come to the end of our tenth series - but, before we drop the curtain and dim the lights on the stage of series ten, one shimmering word of William's we have yet to explore.

Today we turn our gaze - perhaps squintingly slightly - toward a word that is practically aglow with charm and elegance.

Today we delve into the charmingly defective, the elegantly botched, the gloriously sub-optimal, and the perfectly imperfect.

Now what could we possibly be chewing over today? What topic might we be mulling, brooding, gnawing, fretting, marinating, percolating, or mentally chewing upon, like a philosophical goat with a "penchant" for Latin?

Take a deep breath... that's it... now, imagine yourself on a warm night in Venice: the stars are shining... and a gentle breeze...

Education is a funny thing. It, like many things, swings in and out of favor. Across history, we see the thirst for knowledge and the enervation of intelligence during the Enlightenment; the Victorian era, and the post World War Two period of peace and prosperity.

Today, the story of a feeble King, who vainly attempts to rule his realm while his courtiers indulge in a "Game of Murderous Musical Thrones."

Today, we travel to the Venetian waterways, for a dark comedy in which love, law, and latent anti-semitism swirl together in a morally complex tale that leaves us wondering who the real merchants - and villains - of Venice truly are.

Today we travel into the realm of King John - perhaps one of Uncle Will's lesser-loved historical romps.

Today we dip our toes - or rather, our ears - into the world of unheard words.