This film is currently unavailable
Next
Two virtuoso performances in one – Shakespeare's complete works presented in puppet form by a master of animation
Overview
Welcome to the Infinite Variety Show, where the Bard of Avon will perform his complete works in under five minutes. Only the buffest of Shakespeare buffs will spot all the references in this ingenious digest, which is still enjoyable even for mortal fools. Framed as an audition in front of a rather distracted Peter Hall (founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company), the film was also something of a try-out for animator Barry Purves.
After a decade at Cosgrove Hall working on children's programmes like Chorlton and the Wheelies and Wind in the Willows, Barry was keen to write and direct his own works. Clearly exploding with ideas and potential, Next was part of the same Channel 4 backed series that brought us Nick Park's Creature Comforts. A series of virtuoso shorts followed, including Screen Play (1992), Achilles (1995) and Tchaikovsky (2011), cementing his international reputation of a true master of stop motion animation.
Related
Hamlet Hamlet
Drama 1913 54 mins Silent
Johnston Forbes-Roberston gives his famous performance of Hamlet in this ambitious early Shakespeare feature
Introduction to Silent Shakespeare Introduction to Silent Shakespeare
Short documentary 2016 9 mins
Discover why filmmakers in the silent era turned to the works of William Shakespeare for inspiration.
Leonard Whiting Olivia Hussey Leonard Whiting Olivia Hussey
Inside Film 1967 16 mins
Teenage actors discuss their work with Franco Zeffirelli on Romeo and Juliet.
Twelfth Night Twelfth Night
Comedy 1910 11 mins Silent
Vitagraph’s charming 1910 interpretation features some notably lively performances.
King John King John
Drama 1899 1 mins Silent
The first ever Shakespearean film - once thought to be lost - with Herbert Beerbohm Tree in the title role.
Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting Q&A for Shakespeare Lives Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting Q&A for Shakespeare Lives
Inside Film 2016 31 mins
The stars of Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet are reunited on stage for the first time since 1968 as part of the BFI and British Council’s Shakespeare on Film.
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.
Edgar Wright on The Running Man Edgar Wright on The Running Man
Inside Film 2025 28 mins
The director talks to Mark Kermode about putting Stephen King's dystopian life-or-death gameshow thriller through its paces.
Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 69 mins
Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.