Lecture: Falstaff, Shakespeare's Beloved Master

Charles Kemble as Falstaff in 'Henry IV'
by Richard James Lane, printed by Jérémie Graf, published by Colnaghi and Puckle, after Alfred Edward Chalon
published May 1840
NPG D22325

Shakespeare’s history plays are rarely just about history. His character Falstaff has been an audience favourite for over 400 years, and represents every parent’s nightmare, the “thoroughly bad influence” your son is spending far too much time with. Four hundred years on, two more Falstaff inspired figures have blossomed in London theatre, the maverick teacher Hector in Alan Bennett’s The History Boys and the transgressive Rooster Byron in Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem. To commemorate Shakespeare’s birthday this month, Paul Allen explores why young people are drawn to bad role models.

Paul Allen presented Kaleidoscope on BBC Radio 4 for almost 20 years and Night Waves on BBC Radio 3. He is the biographer of Alan Ayckbourn, and author of a number of plays including the stage adaptation of the film Brassed Off which played at the National Theatre.