Muse of Fire: a Shakespearean Road Movie

‘Meeting Shakespeare might be a little scary, but so is life.’ Yes, the tone of this genuine one-off documentary may verge on the twee and try-hard, but its goal is admirable and the results often illuminating.

Actors-turned-docmakers Giles Terera and Dan Poole were first turned on to the Bard by Baz Luhrmann’s electrifying take on ‘Romeo and Juliet’, and have spent the past four years tracking down a gobsmackingly stellar cast of actors to get to the bottom of Shakespeare’s magic. Three generations of thespians, from Dench and Kingsley through Rylance and Fiennes to Hiddleston and Garai attempt to demystify the work, so often dulled by being poorly taught at school.

The message that resonates is that it’s writing that must be performed to be truly appreciated – if hearing assorted grandees of stage and screen ‘tum-te-tum’-ing their enthusiastic way through the text to explain Iambic pentameter doesn’t pique your interest, nothing will. Once it sets aside the unnecessary sense of jeopardy (Can they get McKellen? Yes they can!) and if you can overcome the bathetic climax (they meet Baz Luhrmann!), this is mission accomplished.