Center: Ian McKellen in "King Lear." Left, from top: Hailee Steinfeld in "Romeo & Juliet," Tim Roth and Gary Oldman in "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead." Right, from top: "Kiss Me, Kate," Michael Fassbender in "Macbeth." CHICAGO - Let’s face it, high schools everywhere have been doing William Shakespeare a disservice.
The famed Bard wrote plays that were meant to be seen onstage, not read in a classroom. And as most Shakespeare enthusiasts will tell you, it’s only when his words are brought to life by talented actors that you can fully appreciate the humor, pathos and humanity of his work.So in honor of Shakespeare’s 458th birthday on April 26th (or maybe April 23rd?
It’s confusing), we’ve rounded up some filmed adaptations/riffs on his most famed works — all of which are streaming for free on Tubi.
So pick a comedy or tragedy to get you started, and toast Big Willy on his birthday. 17 years after Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes delivered the definitive 1990s take on "Romeo and Juliet," Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth tried to do the same for the 2010s.