Shakespeare Audiobooks | Drama

Shakespeare - The Biography: Vol I: Aspiring Spirit

VOL. 1: ASPIRING SPIRIT. From Stratford to London. (Birth, 1564 - c.1590) Peter Ackroyd's insightful new biography positions Shakespeare in the close context of his world. In this way, Ackroyd not only richly conjures up the texture of Shakespeare's life, but also imparts an amazing amount of vivid, interesting material about place, period and background. Walk with Ackroyd through sixteenth century London and Stratford as he uncovers the intimate circumstances of Shakespeare's life. Discover the theatrical world in which Shakespeare had his being - not just Shakespeare the actor but the other actors, playwrights, and managers that surrounded him. And journey to Stratford to meet Shakespeare the family man, whose private life had such an impact on his work that the strongest bond in his plays is always between father and daughter.

Peter Ackroyd (Author), Simon Callow (Narrator)

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Shakespeare - The Biography: Vol II: The Upstart Crow

VOL. 2: THE UPSTART CROW. Ambitious Actor and Poet. (c. 1590 - Midsummer Night's Dream) Peter Ackroyd's insightful new biography positions Shakespeare in the close context of his world. In this way, Ackroyd not only richly conjures up the texture of Shakespeare's life, but also imparts an amazing amount of vivid, interesting material about place, period and background. Walk with Ackroyd through sixteenth century London and Stratford as he uncovers the intimate circumstances of Shakespeare's life. Discover the theatrical world in which Shakespeare had his being - not just Shakespeare the actor but the other actors, playwrights, and managers that surrounded him. And journey to Stratford to meet Shakespeare the family man, whose private life had such an impact on his work that the strongest bond in his plays is always between father and daughter.

Peter Ackroyd (Author), Simon Callow (Narrator)

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The Merchant Of Venice: A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Production

Warren Mitchell stars with Martin Jarvis, Samuel West and Juliet Aubrey in this BBC Radio 4 production of Shakespeare's thrilling courtroom drama. Shakespeare's classic play explores the eternal themes of love and hate, mercy and justice, with parallel stories centred on the moneylender, Shylock, and the lovers, Portia and Bassanio. Shylock's angry insistence on the repayment of his debt from Bassanio ends in the Venetian courts where he demands his pound of flesh. Portia meanwhile, a wealthy young Venetian woman, must marry one of her many suitors. Her late father's will has set the challenge by means of three caskets, one gold, one silver and one lead. The climax of the play takes place in court, with Portia, now disguised as a man and defending the life of Antonio, imploring Shylock to show mercy. This superb production of Shakespeare's dramatic and complex play is directed by the award-winning Peter Kavanagh and features specially-composed music by the renowned Barrington Pheloung. The Classic Radio Theatre range presents notable radio productions of much-loved plays by some of the most renowned playwrights, and starring some of our finest actors.

William Shakespeare (Author), David Morrissey, Full Cast, Juliet Aubrey, Martin Jarvis, Samuel West, Warren Mitchell (Narrator)

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Henry VI, Pt.1

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. ‘No, no, I am but shadow of myself: You are deceived, my substance is not here.’ Henry VI Part I is part of Shakespeare’s trilogy centred on the Wars of the Roses. After Henry V's death and while Henry VI is young, nobles rule England and fight the French, including Joan of Arc. As Henry VI becomes King, the noble houses begin to divide and take sides between York and Lancaster. The war with France winds down, and the nobles try to find Henry a wife and disagree about who Henry chooses. All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations. Thurston Dart, Professor of Music at London University and a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, directed the music for this production. The full cast includes: Richard Marquand; David King; Carleton Hobbs; Terrence Hardiman; Denis McCarthy; Roger Croucher; Peter Orr; Frank Duncan; John Tydeman; Gary Watson; William Devlin; Gordon Gardner; Cyril Luckham; John Nettleton; John Shrapnel; Raymond Clark; Brian Batchelor; David Rowe-Beddoe; Anthony Arlidge; Bob Jones; Patrick Garland; Clinton Baddele; John Hopkins; John Tracy-Phillips; David Buck; John Bartom; Ronald Grey; Mary Morris; Yvonne Bonnamy; Freda Dowie.

William Shakespeare (Author), Carleton Hobbs, David King, Full Cast, Peter Orr, Richard Marquand, Terrence Hardiman (Narrator)

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King Lear (BBC Radio Shakespeare)

William Shakespeare (Author), Colin Redgrave, Corin Redgrave, David Troughton, Full Cast, Geraldine James, Robert Glenister (Narrator)

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Romeo & Juliet

William Shakespeare (Author), Claire Bloom (Narrator)

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Women of Will

"Dazzling and illuminating"-- Boston Globe "Brilliant! Fearlessly impassioned acting that you'll remember for as long as you live."-- Wall Street Journal A tour de force, in-studio performance for Shakespeare lovers, scholars, artists and anyone who thinks the lady doth protest too much! Join Master Shakespearean actor, Tina Packer as she deconstructs and conjures Shakespeare's most famous female characters. She is joined by multi-award-winning actor Nigel Gore who plays Romeo to Packer's Juliet and Petruchio to her Kate. Together they bring listeners on a unique journey for the ears as they explore love, loss and power through Shakespeare's heroines, combining the most beloved Shakespeare scenes with fascinating analysis. "The play explores Shakespeare's own enlightenment as he delves into the female psyche, and realizes if we don't deeply listen to what the women say, we are never going to solve the problems of the world!" Tina Packer Through this unique performance, listeners will discover the mastery of Tina Packer (founder of the world-renowned Shakespeare & Company) hailed "marvelous!" by The New York Times and "irresistible" by the Associated Press. And the steady brilliance of Nigel Gore (narrator of The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, also from Alison Larkin Presents.)

Nigel Gore, Tina Packer (Author), Nigel Gore, Tina Packer (Narrator)

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Shakespeare's Greatest Monologues: Volume I

William Shakespeare, long hailed as the history's greatest dramatic writer, has been lauded for his mastery of poetic expression, his insight into the human condition and his deep exploration into the psyche and motivations of his characters. These skills are perhaps best encapsulated in the monologues he gives his various protagonists, villains and bit players. From the murderous Lady Macbeth, planning to assassinate the king to advance her husband's career, to the droll, melancholy Jacques from 'As You Like It' ticking off the Seven Ages of Man, to Edmund the Bastard in 'King Lear,' bemoaning his second class status as an illegitimate child to the young lover Helena, railing against the seeming cruelty of her bewitched friends in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' Shakespeare's monologues are short distillations of his larger themes - love and loss, fairness and inequity, power and envy, lust and purity. Fort Raphael Publishing is proud to present, in this first volume, some of Shakespeare's greatest monologues, each of which captures a shining, brilliant moment from his plays that gives us a deeper understanding of each character, whether flattering, damning or inspiring. Enjoy this collection of monologues - performed by some of the finest classical actors in the world - from the greatest theatrical writer in the English language, William Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare (Author), Amir Abdullah, Belinda Bremner And Ben Werling, Bob Theis, Debo Balogun, Glynis Gilio, Jan Blixt, Jean Marie Koon, Jean Moran, Katie Lynn, Kevin Theis, Paul Stroili, Rebekah Ward, Sara Nichols, Stephen Spencer (Narrator)

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Shakespeare's Greatest Monologues: Volume III

William Shakespeare, long hailed as the history's greatest dramatic writer, has been lauded for his mastery of poetic expression, his insight into the human condition and his deep exploration into the psyche and motivations of his characters. These skills are perhaps best encapsulated in the monologues he gives his various protagonists, villains and bit players. From King Henry V's inspiring speech to his soldiers on the field of Agincourt to the villainous Merchant of Venice Shylock defending his own cruelty, to the shepherdess Phebe from 'As You Like It' grappling with her sudden attraction to a young courtier, to Nick Bottom from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' awaking from what he considers the strangest dream in history, Shakespeare's monologues are short distillations of his larger themes - love and loss, fairness and inequity, power and envy, lust and purity. Fort Raphael Publishing is proud to present, in this first volume, some of Shakespeare's greatest monologues, each of which captures a shining, brilliant moment from his plays that gives us a deeper understanding of each character, whether flattering, damning or inspiring.Enjoy this collection of monologues from the greatest theatrical writer in the English language - William Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare (Author), Alan Ball, Barbara Figgins, Catherine Oconnor, Colleen Scallen, Jack Hickey, Joseph Wycoff, Leenya Rideout, Mark Lancaster, Michael Downey, Michael Joseph Mitchell, Robert Koon, Ruth Kaufman, Sean Fortunato, Tony Dobrowolski And Noelle Klyce (Narrator)

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Measure for Measure

Blackstone Audio is proud to present the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's production of Measure for Measure, Shakespeare's compelling tragicomedy that explores restraint-and lack thereof. Who legislates morality? The duke's authoritarian deputy, Angelo, is hell-bent on stamping out moral decay. He reactivates outdated draconian laws and aims his arrogant crosshairs at a young man whose fiancée is pregnant, sentencing him to death. Angelo is sternly incorruptible-until he meets Isabela, a beautiful religious novice whose desirability arouses him. Flavored with live music by the mariachi band Las Colibri, this vigorous, modern production of Shakespeare's tragicomedy reveals what can happen when sex, religion, and politics collide.

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast (Narrator)

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Taming Of The Shrew

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Full Cast (Narrator)

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Hamlet

Hamlet takes place in the early seventeenth century, at he royal castle in Elsinore, Denmark. The theme of the story.. "revenge" ..becomes Prince Hamlet's obsession. His split personality--one of warm, poetic sensitivity, the other, cruel madness--hypnotizes the reader. Other immortal characters such as Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Horatio, and Ophelia are just a few in the tradition of Shakespeare's unforgettable characterization.

William Shakespeare (Author), Saddleback Educational Publishing (Narrator)

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Shakespeare Audiobooks in Drama