The Shakespop Podcast

Koel Chatterjee
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This is a podcast about Shakespeare and popular culture where I delve into some serious topics such as identity and postcolonialism, as well as talk about Shakespereana and more 'frivolous' aspects of my life as a Shakespeare Geek. If you're looking for a community of like-minded Shakespeare Geeks join us at shakespop.co.uk on Insta and FB, on @UKShakespop on X, or on @drkoelchatterjee on Tiktok.

  1. Jul 12

    Episode 20: Stories That Refuse to Die: Shakespeare, Taylor Swift and Cultural Memory

    What do Taylor Swift and William Shakespeare have in common? In this interview episode of The Shakespop Podcast, I sit down with Shakespeare scholar and author Dr Elly McCausland to explore the surprising connections between one of the world's most influential playwrights and one of today's most discussed songwriters. Together we discuss adaptation, close reading, literary fandom, and the enduring afterlives of characters like Juliet, Ophelia and Lady Macbeth. Rather than asking whether Taylor Swift simply "references" Shakespeare, we explore how both artists continue to shape the way we tell stories, create meaning and build communities around literature. Whether you're a Shakespeare enthusiast, a Swiftie, or simply curious about why these cultural worlds keep colliding, this conversation offers fresh perspectives on literature, popular culture and the power of interpretation. GuestDr Elly McCausland is a scholar of Shakespeare, adaptation and popular culture, and the author of Swifterature: A Love Story: English Literature and Taylor Swift, Meet Me in the Afterglow, Stars Around My Scars, and Bake It Off. She is also the creator of Literature (Taylor's Version), which explores the rich conversations between literature and Taylor Swift's songwriting. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow The Shakespop Podcast, leave a rating, and share it with a fellow Shakespeare lover—or a Swiftie.

  2. Jun 9

    Ep 19: Reading for Clues: Taylor Swift, Shakespeare, and the Rise of the Hyper-Engaged Audience

    What do Swifties and Shakespeare audiences have in common? In this month's anchor episode, I explore how Taylor Swift fans decode lyrics, Easter eggs, and hidden meanings, and what that can teach us about the ways audiences have engaged with Shakespeare for over four centuries. From Samuel Pepys' theatre diaries to TikTok theories, this episode examines fandom, interpretation, and the pleasure of searching for clues. Featuring discussion of Taylor Swift, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare's Sonnets, fan culture, and the Shakespeare multiverse. 🎧 Bonus content: Members of the Secret Shakespeare Society can unlock The Shakespeare Society Soundtrack, a curated Spotify playlist exploring Shakespeare's afterlives across popular music. I'd love to hear from you: What Taylor Swift lyric feels most Shakespearean—and why?

  3. May 7

    Ep 18: Adapting Shakespeare for a new audience with Samir Bhamra

    In this episode of The Shakespop Podcast, I’m joined by theatre maker, writer, and director Samir Bhamra to discuss adapting Shakespeare through the lens of British Asian identity, language, music, and performance. We explore the creative and political possibilities of reimagining Shakespeare for contemporary multicultural Britain, from questions of audience and belonging to the legacy of British Asian theatre and the pressures of representation. Samir reflects on his career adapting Shakespeare across stage and musical forms, the role of humour and hybridity in his work, and what it means to inherit — and transform — Shakespeare today. The conversation also marks ten years since Indian Shakespeare Cinemas on Screen at the BFI Southbank, the landmark event co-created with Varsha Panjwani, Preti Taneja, and Thea Buckley — a reminder of how conversations around global and British Asian Shakespeare continue to evolve across theatre, film, and popular culture. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a rating or review, and sharing the podcast with fellow Shakespeare fans, theatre lovers, and adaptation enthusiasts. Follow the wider Shakespop project for essays, bonus content, and behind-the-scenes material via the Secret Shakespeare Society on Substack.

  4. Episode 1 Trailer

    Cymbeline as a Manmohan Desai Epic Indian Film

    Short clip from Epsiode 18: Interview with British Asian Theatremaker Samir Bhamra

  5. Apr 14

    Episode 17: Inherited Scripts: Who Owns Shakespeare in British Asian Culture?

    Who owns Shakespeare—and who gets to speak him without explanation? In this episode of The Shakespop Podcast, Dr Koel Chatterjee marks the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 “Indian Shakespeares on Screen” event at BFI Southbank and Asia House, co-organised with Varsha Panjwani, Thea Buckley, and Preti Taneja. Reflecting on that moment a decade later, this episode traces a major shift in Shakespeare studies—from introduction to authority, from translation to assertion. Moving beyond ideas of “adaptation” or “representation,” the episode explores British Asian Shakespeare as a site of cultural negotiation, where questions of legitimacy, performance, and ownership are actively contested. Follow & Connect Instagram | TikTok | Substack: @Shakespop ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, follow, rate, and review—it helps others find the showListen Next 🎭 Interview with Sameer Bhamra — British Asian theatre in practice📖 Shakesfic: Deep dive into We That Are Young

  6. Apr 1

    Episode 16: Blood Will Tell with Jennifer Miller

    What happens when Shakespeare becomes the framework for telling a true crime story? In this episode of The Shakespop Podcast, I’m joined by journalist and podcaster Jennifer Miller to discuss her limited series Blood Will Tell — a case centred on identical twins, contested identity, and the unsettling question of who gets believed. From episode titles like “Fortune’s Fool” and “Readiness Is All,” Miller’s series doesn’t just reference Shakespeare — it uses him as a narrative blueprint. Together, we explore how Shakespearean tragedy continues to shape the way we understand crime, from ideas of fate and motive to performance, doubling, and moral ambiguity. Drawing on concepts from narrative criminology, this episode asks:Do we interpret crime through evidence — or through story?

  7. Mar 24

    Episode 15 The Shakespearean Blueprint: When Art Becomes Alibi

    What does Shakespeare have to do with true crime? In this episode, we explore how Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and Macbeth continue to shape the way we understand real-world violence — from “star-crossed lovers” to “crimes of passion” and the enduring myth of Lady Macbeth. Drawing on narrative criminology, this episode examines how Shakespeare provides a cultural script for jealousy, ambition, and murder — one that still appears in media headlines, courtrooms, and public imagination. Part of the Shakespeare & True Crime series this March on Shakespop .

  8. Mar 1

    Episode 14: Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers with Darren Freebury-Jones

    Was Shakespeare an original genius—or an expert remixer? In this episode of The Shakespop Podcast, I’m joined by Darren Freebury-Jones to talk about his book Shakespeare’s Borrowed Feathers, which challenges the myth of Shakespeare as a solitary, self-generating author. Instead, we explore Shakespeare as a writer shaped by influence, imitation, and creative borrowing—working inside a competitive early modern literary marketplace. Drawing on attribution studies, close reading, and literary history, Darren shows how Shakespeare absorbed and transformed the language of his contemporaries, particularly Marlowe, in ways that feel strikingly modern. This conversation reframes Shakespeare not as an untouchable monument, but as part of a shared cultural ecosystem—closer to sampling, remix culture, and collaborative authorship than we might expect. We also talk about why the lone-genius myth persists, what we lose by clinging to it, and how letting it go opens up new, more inclusive ways of thinking about authorship, creativity, and popular culture—then and now.

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About

This is a podcast about Shakespeare and popular culture where I delve into some serious topics such as identity and postcolonialism, as well as talk about Shakespereana and more 'frivolous' aspects of my life as a Shakespeare Geek. If you're looking for a community of like-minded Shakespeare Geeks join us at shakespop.co.uk on Insta and FB, on @UKShakespop on X, or on @drkoelchatterjee on Tiktok.

Information

  • Creator
    Koel Chatterjee
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Koel Chatterjee
  • Show Website
    The Shakespop Podcast