Shakespeare Audiobooks | Drama

The Winter's Tale (Shakespeare Stories) Audiobook

The Winter's Tale' follows two childhood friends: Leontes, King of Sicilia, and Polixenes, the King of Bohemia. Polixenes is visiting the kingdom of Sicilia, and is enjoying catching up with his old friend. However, after nine months, Polixenes yearns to return to his own kingdom to tend to affairs and see his son. This edition is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous comedy, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare's drama. Read in English, unabridged.

Edith Nesbit, William Shakespeare (Author), Josh Verbae (Narrator)

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The Two Noble Kinsmen

Palamon and Arcite, cousins and bosom friends, are taken prisoner by Duke Theseus of Athens. While in captivity, they spy the beautiful Emilia. Both fall instantly in love with her, and their attachment to each other turns to hate. This dark-edged tragicomedy is now widely regarded as having been written by Shakespeare in collaboration with John Fletcher. Composed sometime in 1613–14, The Two Noble Kinsmen is the final play in Shakespeare’s dramatic career. Jonathan Firth plays Palamon, Nigel Cooke is Arcite, and Emilia is played by Helen Schlesinger. “A late tragicomedy by Shakespeare…concerns the rivalry between two chivalrous knights, Palamon and Arcite, for the love of a woman. The play is a rarely staged, somewhat ceremonial work, so this balanced and effective performance, which may be the first unabridged recording of it, is particularly appreciated…The subplot of the jailer's daughter (Sarah-Jane Holm) and her hopeless love for Palamon (Jonathan Firth) is handled well and gives personality to [the] play.”—AudioFile

E.A. Copen, Pierre Arthur Laure, Robert T. Kiyosaki, Tom Wheelwright, William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Jonathan Firth, Simon Russell Beale (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare Stories)

Valentine is preparing to leave Verona for Milan so as to broaden his horizons. He begs his best friend, Proteus, to come with him, but Proteus is in love with Julia, and refuses to leave. The play deals with the themes of friendship and infidelity, the conflict between friendship and love, and the foolish behaviour of people in love. This edition of 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona' is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare's work. Read in English, unabdridged.

Edith Nesbit, William Shakespeare (Author), Josh Verbae (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Proteus loves Julia in Verona, Valentine loves Silvia in Milan. But when Proteus meets Silvia, he falls for her too, and the heartbroken Julia sets out in pursuit. This delightful and sometimes disquieting early comedy of love lost and found offers lyrical poetry, disguise, clowning, outlaws, and a most unreliable dog. Proteus is played by Michael Maloney and Valentine by Damian Lewis. Silvia is Saskia Wickham, Julia is Lucy Robinson, and John Woodvine plays Launce. “Shakespeare’s first comic romance is interesting more for what it shows about the Bard's developing skills and the coining of the phrase ‘love is blind’ than for its quality. Nonetheless, it manages to hold the stage even today, as illustrated by this well-acted and tastefully produced audio version.…the production excels in spirit, poetry and clarity.”—AudioFile

E.A. Copen, Pierre Arthur Laure, Robert T. Kiyosaki, Tom Wheelwright, William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Damian Lewis, Michael Maloney (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Two Gentlemen Of Verona

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. ‘At first I did adore a twinkling star But now I worship a celestial sun.’ The Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of Shakespeare's earliest plays and also one of the most rarely performed. It's about betrayal, love and disguise. Valentine sets off from Verona for Milan to see the world. Proteus stays at home because of his love for Julia. She is in love with him, but neither knows of the other's love until Lucetta shows Julia a love letter from Proteus. He is reading her reply when his father, Antonio, sends him to the Duke's court to join Valentine. The lovers take their leave and swear eternal constancy. 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: John Barton; David Gibson; Richard Marquand; Terrence Hardiman; George Rylands; Toby Robertson; Roderick Cook; Donald Beves; Clive Swift; David Buck; John Tracy-Phillips; Chris Renard; Olive Gregg; Janette Richer; Penelope Balchin.

William Shakespeare (Author), David Gibson, Full Cast, George Rylands, John Barton, Richard Marquand, Terrence Hardiman (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Two close friends, Proteus and Valentine, are saying their goodbyes in the streets of Verona. Valentine plans to travel to Milan and discover the world, but Proteus wants to stay with Julia, a woman he loves. While in Milan, Valentine falls in love with the duke's daughter, Sylvia, and plans to elope with her. Antonio, Proteus' father, later orders his son to join Valentine in Milan. Before leaving, Proteus exchanges rings and vows of undying love with Julia. When Proteus enters the aristocratic courts of Milan, he instantly falls in love with Sylia and forgets all about Julia. The love triangle between Sylvia, Proteus, and Valentine will test the loyalty of friendship.

William Shakespeare (Author), Susan Bones, Zacharias Prewett (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Step into the captivating world of William Shakespeare's 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona' with our immersive digital audiobook. Lose yourself in the timeless tale of friendship, love, and the complexities of the human heart as you listen to the eloquent prose brought to life by skilled narrators. Whether you're a Shakespeare enthusiast or a newcomer to his works, our audio adaptation will transport you to a world of passion, humor, and enduring themes, making this classic play a captivating and accessible experience for all. Join us on this audio journey and let the Bard's words resonate in your heart like never before.

William Shakespeare (Author), Various (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Tragedy of Timon of Athens

The Tragedy of Timon of Athens (The Life of Tymon of Athens) is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in collaboration with Thomas Middleton in about 1605–1606, which was published in the First Folio in 1623. It is about the fortunes of an Athenian named Timon. The central character is a beloved citizen of Athens who through tremendous generosity spends his entire fortune on corrupt hangers-on only interested in getting the next payout. The earliest-known production of the play was in 1674, when Thomas Shadwell wrote an adaptation under the title The History of Timon of Athens, The Man-hater. Multiple other adaptations followed over the next century, by writers such as Thomas Hull, James Love and Richard Cumberland. The straight Shakespearean text was performed at Smock Alley in Dublin in 1761, but adaptations continued to dominate the stage until well into the 20th century. ... Flavius arrives. He wants the money as well, but he also wants Timon to come back into society. Timon acknowledges that he has had one true friend in Flavius, a shining example of an otherwise diseased and impure race, but laments that this man is a mere servant. He invites the last envoys from Athens, who hoped Timon might placate Alcibiades, to go hang themselves, and then dies in the wilderness. Alcibiades, marching on Athens, then throws down his glove, and ends the play reading the bitter epitaph Timon wrote for himself, part of which was composed by Callimachus: 'Here lies a wretched corpse of wretched soul bereft: Seek not my name: a plague consume you wicked caitiffs left!' Here lie I, Timon, who alive, all living men did hate, Pass by, and curse thy fill, but pass and stay not here thy gait... Among the most significant works William Shakespeare: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Orpheus, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Troilus and Cressida, The Tempest, Venus and Adonis, Antony and Cleopatra, Measure for Measure, The Winter's Tale and many more.

William Shakespeare (Author), Mark Bowen (Narrator)

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The Tragedy of Macbeth

William Shakespeare's shortest—but one of his most popular—tragedies features a man who will do anything to fulfill a prophecy that will lead him to become the King of Scotland. Fresh from battle, Macbeth and his companion Banquo come across three witches who tell of great power that is in store for Macbeth. Driven by their prophecy and aided by his wife, Macbeth sets out on a journey that is wrought with deceit, murder, and suffering to acquire the throne of Scotland. At each and every turn, Macbeth must make choices that alter the trajectory of not only his life but every life around him, as he begins to fall mad with greed. This multi-voice production of The Tragedy of Macbeth features an all-star cast under the direction of acclaimed producer Paul Alan Ruben, a Grammy Award-winning veteran of the audiobook industry. With five AudioFile magazine Golden Voice recipients, multiple Grammy and SOVAS nominations, and countless Earphones and Audie Awards, this phenomenal cast brings Shakespeare's work to life.

William Shakespeare (Author), Carol Monda, Dion Graham, J. D. Jackson, Jd Jackson, Johnny Heller, Käthe Mazur, Maggie-Meg Reed, Paula Parker, Scott Brick, Simon Vance, Steven Anthony Jones (Narrator)

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The Tragedy of Macbeth

Macbeth and his wife show how bad the evil that can possess human souls is. But evil is not all powerful. On the one hand, Macbeth is the gloomiest of the great Shakespeare's tragedies; on the other hand, it's more encouraging than Hamlet, Othello or King Lear. In no other tragedy as in Macbeth the evil is confronted by so many people, and nowhere else they are so active. Shakespeare is the author of the world famous sonnets and plays: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello, as well as comedies Twelfth Night, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Love's Labour's Lost, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and As You Like It. William Shakespeare is the most performed playwright, the works of the great English poet have been on top of the world theatre stages for some centuries already.

William Shakespeare (Author), Mark Bowen (Narrator)

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The Tragedy of King Lear

King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It depicts the gradual descent into madness of the title character, after he disposes of his kingdom by giving bequests to two of his three daughters egged on by their continual flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. Derived from the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological pre-Roman Celtic king, the play has been widely adapted for the stage and motion pictures, with the title role coveted by many of the world's most accomplished actors.

William Shakespeare (Author), Brad Filippone (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Tragedy of King Lear

King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It tells the tale of a king who bequeaths his power and land to two of his three daughters, after they declare their love for him in an extremely fawning and obsequious manner. His third daughter gets nothing, because she will not flatter him as her sisters had done. When he feels disrespected by the two daughters who now have his wealth and power, he becomes furious to the point of madness. He eventually becomes tenderly reconciled to his third daughter, just before tragedy strikes her and then the king. Derived from the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological pre-Roman Celtic king, the play has been widely adapted for the stage and motion pictures, with the title role coveted by many of the world's most accomplished actors. The first attribution to Shakespeare of this play, originally drafted in 1605 or 1606 at the latest with its first known performance on St. Stephen's Day in 1606, was a 1608 publication in a quarto of uncertain provenance, in which the play is listed as a history; it may be an early draft or simply reflect the first performance text. The Tragedy of King Lear, a revised version that is better tailored for performance, was included in the 1623 First Folio. Modern editors usually conflate the two, though some insist that each version has its own individual integrity that should be preserved. Among the most significant works William Shakespeare: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Orpheus, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Troilus and Cressida, The Tempest, Venus and Adonis, Antony and Cleopatra, Measure for Measure, The Winter's Tale and many more.

William Shakespeare (Author), Mark Bowen (Narrator)

Audiobook

Shakespeare Audiobooks in Drama