This fascinating film tells the story of one of the greatest rescues in cultural history. In 1623, two former colleagues of William Shakespeare—John Heminges and Henry Condell—undertook the extraordinary task of preserving their friend’s work by collecting his plays into a single volume known as the First Folio.
The First Folio preserved 18 plays that had never been printed before, including Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. It was also the first book to organize Shakespeare’s plays by genre and includes an engraved portrait believed to be one of the most authentic likenesses of the playwright. Presented by Shakespearean scholar Emma Smith, the film explores Heminges’ and Condell’s fear that Shakespeare’s words might fade after his death. Featuring performances by Mark Rylance, Stephen Fry, Roger Allam, and others, the documentary brings to life the enduring legacy of Shakespeare’s work and the remarkable effort that saved it. The film is 58 minutes, rated PG, and is made possible through Hoopla.