The noble Titus returns victorious to Rome bringing Tamora, Queen of the Goths as his captive. When one of Tamora’s sons is condemned to die, she vows revenge, and, aided by the villainous Aaron, she exacts a terrible retribution, inaugurating a grim cycle of rape, murder, and cannibalism. This macabre, often brilliant tragedy comes from the earliest stage of Shakespeare’s dramatic career.
Titus is played by David Troughton and Tamora by Harriet Walter. Paterson Joseph is Aaron, and David Burke is Marcus.
“This wonderful performance ranks with the best recorded Shakespeare. Thrilling organ chords underscore moments of tension and nicely supplement the atmospheric music…The entire cast performs their larger-than-life roles with a grandness that never becomes hammy. Their sharp diction is also a continual pleasure.”—AudioFile
This controversial play follows the declining fortunes of a man of extravagant contradictions.
The fabulously rich Timon believes all his friends to be as open-hearted and generous as himself. When his wealth suddenly evaporates, however, he discovers the truth and his altruism turns to a bitter hatred of mankind. Stirred up by the cynical Apemantus, Timon retreats to the woods where he plots the destruction of Athens, the city that had formerly seemed to embody everything pleasurable and civilized. The cosmic scope of his hatred is communicated in a series of powerful and disturbing dramatic tableaux.
Alan Howard is Timon and Norman Rodway is Apemantus. Damian Lewis play Alcibiades.
“This is a lean, vigorous production beautifully recorded—living theater in the finest sense. One hears not only the poetry and drama of the Bard, but the showmanship. The emphasis is on clarity, ensemble, and character.”—AudioFile
King Leontes of Sicilia is seized by sudden and terrible jealousy of his wife Hermione, whom he accuses of adultery. He believes the child Hermione is bearing was fathered by his friend Polixenes, and when the baby girl is born he orders her to be taken to some wild place and left to die. Though Hermione’s child escapes death, Leontes’ cruelty has terrible consequences. Loss paves the way for reunion, and life and hope are born out of desolation and despair.
One of the late romances in Shakespeare’s canon, this complex work is at times tragic, at times humorous, but always entertaining and enlightening.
Sinead Cusack plays Hermione, and Ciaran Hinda plays Leontes. Eileen Atkins is Paulina and Paul Jesson is Polixenes. Time the Chorus is played by Sir John Gielgud.
“The voices in this recording are richly infused with personality, especially those of John Gielgud and Alex Jennings, who is a comic triumph as the rogue Autolycus.”—AudioFile
Mark Antony, one of the three rulers of the Roman world, has become the thrall of the fascinating Cleopatra. Affairs of state call him to Rome, but the attractions of the queen of Egypt prove impossible to resist. From one of history’s greatest love stories Shakespeare builds this magnificent tragedy of the clash between love and duty.
Cleopatra is played by Estelle Kohler, Mark Antony by Ciaran Hinds, Ian Hughes is Octavious Caesar, and David Burke is Domitius Enobarbus.
“This dramatic performance is faithful to Shakespeare’s text, and the actors are excellent; it is no mere reading of the text.”—AudioFile
Telling his followers he is leaving the city on affairs of state, the Duke of Vienna appoints the puritanical Angelo to govern in his absence. Will Angelo prove as virtuous as he seems once power is in his hands?
Roaming the city disguised as a friar, the duke looks on as Angelo’s lust for the virtuous Isabella sweeps him into the corruption he has so sternly condemned in others.
The duke’s manipulation at last produces a happy ending for this dark comedy, with its brilliant exploration of the themes of justice and mercy.
Roger Allam plays the duke and Simon Russell Beale is Angelo. Isabella is played by Stella Gonet.
“I do not know any other eminent work of Western literature that is nearly as nihilistic as Measure for Measure, a comedy that destroys comedy.”—Harold Bloom
Edith Nesbit re-tells the stories of William Shakespeare's plays, making them accessible to children, while evoking the drama and excitement of the originals.
Included are:
1. A Midsummer Night's Dream
2. The Tempest
3. As You Like It
4. A Midsummer Night's Dream
5. The Winter's Tale
6. King Lear
7. Twelfth Night
8. Night Much Ado About Nothing
9. Romeo and Juliet
10. Pericles
11. Hamlet
12. Cymbeline
13. Macbeth
14. The Comedy of Errors
15. The Merchant of Venice
16. Timon of Athens
17. Othello
18. The Merchant of Venice
19. The Taming of the Shrew
20. Measure for Measure
21. Two Gentleman of Verona
22. All's Well That Ends Well
AUTHORS
Edith Nesbit and William Shakespeare
Edith Nesbit (1858 - 1924) was a British novelist, poet and magazine editor. Often called the ""Queen of Children's literature"", Nesbit published over 50 books for children, establishing a new genre.
Generally, Nesbit's characters are real children in realistic environments, embarking on fantasy adventures with magical creatures, influencing the work of later writers like CS Lewis and JK Rowling.
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This abridged performance of the last of Shakespeare's plays founded on English history was recorded in 1952. Henry VIII was first published in the 1623 folio edition of Shakespeare's plays. This performance stars Dame Sybil Thorndike, Sir Lewis Casson & Ralph Truman (as King Henry VIII).
William Shakespeare is the world's greatest ever playwright. Born in 1564, he split his time between Stratford-upon-Avon and London, where he worked as a playwright, poet and actor. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of fifty-two, leaving three children
Here are some of Shakespeare's finest speeches performed by one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of this century. It ranges from the youth of Jaques' introduction to life, 'All the world's a stage!' in "As You Like It" to the aged Prospero's goodbye to Ariel and Shakespeare's own farewell to his muse in "The Tempest": 'Now my charms are all o'erthrown!' Sir John's masterful reading brings delight to the ear and joy to the heart.
Orlando makes his way to the court of Duke Frederick, and falls desperately in love with the Duke's niece, Rosalind. Meanwhile, in the Forest of Arden, the Old Duke is living peacefully after having his throne usurped by his brother, Frederick. Orlando learns about a threat on his life and flees to the forest. Shortly thereafter, Rosalind is banished by her uncle and also seeks safety there disguised as a boy. Will the Old Duke recognize his daughter? Will the lovers be reunited?
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.
After encountering three witches, the warrior Macbeth waits to see if their predictions come true. Stung by ambition, Macbeth is persuaded by his conniving wife that the fastest way to fulfill the prophecy is to murder the king, which sets off a disastrous chain of events. As the tragedy unfolds, Macbeth's decisions lead tom more ruin. He returns to the witches and believes that his future is secure but is he interpreting the premonitions correctly?
