- Shakespeare (643)
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Best Sellers
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Hamlet
- A BBC Radio Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Michael Sheen, Kenneth Cranham, Juliet Stevenson, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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BBC Radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare....
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Gripping Version
- By Wordwatcher7 on 09-12-13
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Shakespeare: The Complete Works
- Argo Classics
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Diana Rigg, and others
- Length: 98 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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For the first time, the complete works of Shakespeare are available to download as one. This collection includes all 37 plays, four narrative poems and the sonnets....
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Listing for 9 Part Download
- By indigodreamer on 30-01-21
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SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Macbeth (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)
- By: William Shakespeare, Simon Potter
- Narrated by: Full-Cast featuring Joan Walker, Nick Murchie, Coralyn Sheldon
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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The multi-award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options....
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Sure Pass with Smartpass
- By JesKimSea on 18-01-13
By: William Shakespeare, and others
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Macbeth
- A BBC Radio Shakespeare Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Ken Stott, Phyllis Logan, Full Cast
- Length: 1 hr and 49 mins
- Original Recording
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In this BBC full-cast production, a trio of witches predicts Macbeth's early demise....
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Compelling performances
- By Wordwatcher7 on 07-04-13
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All the Sonnets of Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare, Paul Edmondson - editor, Stanley Wells - editor
- Narrated by: Kenneth Branagh, Lolita Chakrabarti
- Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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How can we look afresh at Shakespeare as a writer of sonnets? What new light might they shed on his career, personality, and sexuality? Shakespeare wrote sonnets for at least 30 years, not only for himself, for professional reasons, and for those he loved, but also in his plays....
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Supreme narration!
- By Audiophile on 21-09-22
By: William Shakespeare, and others
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Romeo and Juliet
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Michael Sheen, Kate Beckinsale, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is the full-cast production of Shakespeare's classic love story, fully dramatized from the complete text....
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The best so far...
- By Philip on 21-01-08
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Hamlet
- A BBC Radio Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Michael Sheen, Kenneth Cranham, Juliet Stevenson, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
BBC Radio has a unique heritage when it comes to Shakespeare....
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Gripping Version
- By Wordwatcher7 on 09-12-13
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Shakespeare: The Complete Works
- Argo Classics
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Diana Rigg, and others
- Length: 98 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
For the first time, the complete works of Shakespeare are available to download as one. This collection includes all 37 plays, four narrative poems and the sonnets....
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Listing for 9 Part Download
- By indigodreamer on 30-01-21
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SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Macbeth (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)
- By: William Shakespeare, Simon Potter
- Narrated by: Full-Cast featuring Joan Walker, Nick Murchie, Coralyn Sheldon
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The multi-award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options....
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Sure Pass with Smartpass
- By JesKimSea on 18-01-13
By: William Shakespeare, and others
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Macbeth
- A BBC Radio Shakespeare Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Ken Stott, Phyllis Logan, Full Cast
- Length: 1 hr and 49 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this BBC full-cast production, a trio of witches predicts Macbeth's early demise....
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Compelling performances
- By Wordwatcher7 on 07-04-13
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All the Sonnets of Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare, Paul Edmondson - editor, Stanley Wells - editor
- Narrated by: Kenneth Branagh, Lolita Chakrabarti
- Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
How can we look afresh at Shakespeare as a writer of sonnets? What new light might they shed on his career, personality, and sexuality? Shakespeare wrote sonnets for at least 30 years, not only for himself, for professional reasons, and for those he loved, but also in his plays....
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Supreme narration!
- By Audiophile on 21-09-22
By: William Shakespeare, and others
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Romeo and Juliet
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Michael Sheen, Kate Beckinsale, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Here is the full-cast production of Shakespeare's classic love story, fully dramatized from the complete text....
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The best so far...
- By Philip on 21-01-08
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BBC Radio Shakespeare: A Collection of Eight Comedies
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Anne-Marie Duff, David Tennant, Full Cast, and others
- Length: 16 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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A collection of BBC Radio 3's iconic Shakespeare productions: eight comedies with all-star casts including David Tennant, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Martin Jarvis, Siân Phillips and Miriam Margolyes....
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Amanda Root, David Harewood, Roy Hudd
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Original Recording
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Shakespeare's most imaginative and merry play is set in an enchanted wood amidst fairies and sprites....
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Very good!
- By Richard Fairley on 18-11-23
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BBC Radio Shakespeare: A Collection of Four History Plays
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Benjamin Zephaniah, Full Cast, Jamie Glover, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
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Introduced by Sir Richard Eyre, these four iconic productions, dramatised with star casts, bring Shakespeare’s gripping histories to life in all their rich complexity....
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Much Ado About Nothing
- A BBC Radio Shakespeare Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: David Tennant, Samantha Spiro, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 14 mins
- Original Recording
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In this BBC full-cast production of Much Ado About Nothing, some handsome soldiers return from battle. Yet one soldier finds himself locked in a merry war of his own....
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Classic Version
- By Ms on 23-12-12
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How to Read and Understand Shakespeare
- By: Marc C. Conner, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Marc C. Conner
- Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins
- Original Recording
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These guiding principles allow you to follow the narratives of the plays as they unfold, with a clear understanding of how the plays function and fit together....
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A Great Guide To Shakespeare for a Dummy (me!)
- By Farniboy on 19-08-14
By: Marc C. Conner, and others
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John Gielgud's Hamlet (Dramatised)
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: John Gielgud
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
- Original Recording
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This outstanding historical recording made in 1941 for radio is widely regarded as one of the finest Hamlet performances ever....
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Unsurpassible!
- By William Benham on 05-10-21
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
- A BBC Radio Shakespeare Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Sylvestra Le Touzel, Sam West, David Threlfall
- Length: 2 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
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In this BBC full-cast production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena run to the woods and stumble into a life separate from time itself....
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A Midsummernight's Dream
- By Francis on 09-09-12
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Shakespeare, Our Contemporary
- By: Jan Kott
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Shakespeare, Our Contemporary is a provocative, original study of the major plays of Shakespeare....
By: Jan Kott
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Julius Caesar
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Andrew Buchan, Sean Barrett
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Julius Caesar is one of Shakespeare’s most compelling Roman plays. The plot against Caesar and the infamous assassination scene make for unforgettable listening....
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Great performance
- By Mrs W. on 25-04-16
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Henry VI, Part 1
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: David Tennant, Kelly Hunter, Clive Merrison, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
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The all-conquering King Henry V is dead, and the throne is occupied by his infant son, Henry VI....
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Words words words verses trumpets bulges horns
- By Shades of Blue Q on 06-03-22
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Richard Burton's Hamlet
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Richard Burton, a full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 58 mins
- Original Recording
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This production of Hamlet, directed by Sir John Gielgud and starring Richard Burton, was recorded in the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre...
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The finest noise ever created by vocal chords?
- By Pete UK on 08-04-13
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The Tempest
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Sir Ian McKellen, Emilia Fox, Scott Handy, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Sir Ian McKellen, fresh from his performance as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, is Prospero, and heads a strong cast in Shakespeare’s last great play....
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Tempestuous Performance
- By Mr on 24-07-15
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Othello: Fully Dramatized Audio Edition
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
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This new full-cast recording - based on the most respected edition of Shakespeare's classic - expertly produced by the Folger Theatre, is perfect for students, teachers, and the everyday listener....
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SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Othello (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)
- By: William Shakespeare, Jonathan Lomas
- Narrated by: Joan Walker, Jude Akuwudike, Nick Murchie
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is a full-cast, unabridged performance with comprehensive commentary and analysis for any student to fully understand and appreciate the play....
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Informative but irritating
- By Catherine on 02-06-12
By: William Shakespeare, and others
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King Lear
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Paul Scofield, Alec McCowen, Kenneth Branagh
- Length: 3 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The tragedy of King Lear receives an outstanding performance in an all-star cast led by Britain’s senior classical actor, Paul Scofield....
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Not unabridged
- By Wonko on 28-11-17
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Henry V
- Argo Classics
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Prunella Scales, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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After an insult from the French Dauphin, King Henry V of England invades France to claim the throne he believes should be his....
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The Merchant of Venice
- A BBC Radio Shakespeare Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Warren Mitchell, Martin Jarvis, Samuel West, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 1 min
- Original Recording
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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....
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fast and charming
- By Philip on 19-01-09
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As You Like It
- A BBC Radio Shakespeare Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Helena Bonham Carter, David Morrissey, Natasha Little, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 59 mins
- Original Recording
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In this BBC full-cast production of As You Like It, Rosalind is banished from the Royal court, heartbroken over Orlando. Will the two find a way to reunite? Find out....
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Buy it, love it, rave about it...
- By Philip on 21-01-08
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Shakespeare's Kings
- The Great Plays and the History of England in the Middle Ages: 1337-1485
- By: John Julius Norwich
- Narrated by: John Curran
- Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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William Shakespeare may have been the greatest playwright in the English language, but how does he measure up as a historian....
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Easy Listening
- By Jim on 26-04-14
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Othello (Dramatized)
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ewan McGregor, Kelly Reilly
- Length: 2 hrs and 36 mins
- Abridged
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Shakespeare's Othello is one of his finest and most famous tragedies....
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Wow
- By Epic Taters on 10-12-15
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Macbeth
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Stephen Dillane, Fiona Shaw, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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By the time Shakespeare came to write Macbeth - almost certainly in 1605/1606 - he had already completed three of the great tragedies with which modern audiences are so familiar....
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A great play, poorly performed/recorded
- By Jklaw on 31-12-17
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The Tempest
- Argo Classics
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Michael Hordern, Terrence Hardiman, Ian Lang, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Magical and dreamlike in its tone, Shakespeare’s The Tempest begins with a storm of epic proportions and a shipwreck. Banished from Italy, Prospero lives on a remote island with his daughter. Using his magic, he vows to seek revenge on the injustice dealt to him by his brother....
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King Lear
- A BBC Radio Shakespeare Production
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Corin Redgrave, Geraldine James, Full Cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Some of the most stirring scenes Shakespeare ever wrote resonate powerfully in this dramatic radio production....
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Rather Good Methinks
- By R on 12-09-10
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Living with Shakespeare
- Essays by Writers, Actors, and Directors
- By: Harold Bloom - foreword, Susannah Carson - editor
- Narrated by: Michael McConnahie, Simon Prebble, Napoleon Ryan, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Why Shakespeare? What explains our continued fascination with his poems and plays? In Living with Shakespeare, Susannah Carson invites 40 actors, directors, scholars, and writers to reflect....
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A treasure-trove of goodies for lovers of Shakespe
- By Kirstine on 06-08-14
By: Harold Bloom - foreword, and others
New Releases
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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 2 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a history play and tragedy by William Shakespeare first performed in 1599. It is one of several plays written by Shakespeare based on true events from Roman history, such as Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra. Set in Rome in 44 BC, the play depicts the moral dilemma of Brutus as he joins a conspiracy led by Cassius to murder Julius Caesar to prevent him from becoming dictator of Rome. Following Caesar's death, Rome is thrust into a period of civil war, and the republic the conspirators sought to preserve is lost forever.
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The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1602. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet's mother.
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The Comedy of Errors
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Kendra Murray, Gary MacFadden, Claudia Anglade, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A merchant of Syracuse has twin sons and buys twin servants for them. His wife, with one twin and one servant, is soon separated from him by a shipwreck, and comes to live in Ephesus. When grown, the other son and his slave start out to find their brothers, and the father, some years later, starts out in turn to find them. Once in Ephesus, an amusing series of errors begins.
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Shakespeare's Sonnets
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: NM Few
- Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Shakespeare's sonnets have long been considered some of the greatest poetry ever written. It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard the phrase, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" Marvel at the use of syllables, or simply sit back and enjoy all Shakespeare’s sonnets in one handy volume.
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Antony and Cleopatra
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Antony and Cleopatra (First Folio title: The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around 1607; its first appearance in print was in the Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's 1579 English translation of Plutarch's Lives (in Ancient Greek) and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Sicilian revolt to Cleopatra's suicide during the Final War of the Roman Republic.
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Much Ado About Nothing
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Dara Brown, Emma Faye, Linda Barrans, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Much Ado About Nothing appears to have been written about 1599, shortly before As You Like It and Twelfth Night. The action combines two narrative threads: the spirited comedy of the courtship of Benedick and Beatrice, and the somber tale of confused love between Hero and Claudio. The first is a creation by Shakespeare and the second appears to have been drawn from an Italian source, either by Bandello or Ariosto. The action takes place in Messina. Eponymous lovers Hero and Claudio seem to be ideally matched and nearly everyone is looking forward to their impending marriage.
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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 2 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a history play and tragedy by William Shakespeare first performed in 1599. It is one of several plays written by Shakespeare based on true events from Roman history, such as Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra. Set in Rome in 44 BC, the play depicts the moral dilemma of Brutus as he joins a conspiracy led by Cassius to murder Julius Caesar to prevent him from becoming dictator of Rome. Following Caesar's death, Rome is thrust into a period of civil war, and the republic the conspirators sought to preserve is lost forever.
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The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1602. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet's mother.
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The Comedy of Errors
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Kendra Murray, Gary MacFadden, Claudia Anglade, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A merchant of Syracuse has twin sons and buys twin servants for them. His wife, with one twin and one servant, is soon separated from him by a shipwreck, and comes to live in Ephesus. When grown, the other son and his slave start out to find their brothers, and the father, some years later, starts out in turn to find them. Once in Ephesus, an amusing series of errors begins.
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Shakespeare's Sonnets
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: NM Few
- Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Shakespeare's sonnets have long been considered some of the greatest poetry ever written. It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard the phrase, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" Marvel at the use of syllables, or simply sit back and enjoy all Shakespeare’s sonnets in one handy volume.
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Antony and Cleopatra
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Antony and Cleopatra (First Folio title: The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around 1607; its first appearance in print was in the Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's 1579 English translation of Plutarch's Lives (in Ancient Greek) and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Sicilian revolt to Cleopatra's suicide during the Final War of the Roman Republic.
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Much Ado About Nothing
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Dara Brown, Emma Faye, Linda Barrans, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Much Ado About Nothing appears to have been written about 1599, shortly before As You Like It and Twelfth Night. The action combines two narrative threads: the spirited comedy of the courtship of Benedick and Beatrice, and the somber tale of confused love between Hero and Claudio. The first is a creation by Shakespeare and the second appears to have been drawn from an Italian source, either by Bandello or Ariosto. The action takes place in Messina. Eponymous lovers Hero and Claudio seem to be ideally matched and nearly everyone is looking forward to their impending marriage.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: David Miles
- Length: 1 hr and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Сomedy A Midsummer's Night Dream is a wonderful piece of work written by a genius English playwright William Shakespeare. Three very amusing stories tightly connected with each other fascinate the reader with a numerous love adventures. The reason for that is a potion of a forest spirit Puck. William 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.
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Troilus and Cressida
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Troilus and Cressida is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. It was described by Frederick S. Boas as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The play ends on a very bleak note with the death of the noble Trojan Hector and destruction of the love between Troilus and Cressida. The work has in recent years "stimulated exceptionally lively critical debate". Throughout the play, the tone lurches wildly between bawdy comedy and tragic gloom, and readers and theatre-goers have frequently found it difficult to understand how one is meant to respond to the characters.
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The Tragedy of King Lear
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 3 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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Romeo and Juliet
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: David Miles
- Length: 2 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. Romeo and Juliet had a profound influence on subsequent literature. Before then, romance had not even been viewed as a worthy topic for tragedy.
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Othello
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 3 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare based on the short story Moor of Venice by Cinthio, believed to have been written in approximately 1603. The work revolves around four central characters: Othello, his wife Desdemona, his lieutenant Cassio, and his trusted advisor Iago. Attesting to its enduring popularity, the play appeared in 7 editions between 1622 and 1705. Because of its varied themes — racism, love, jealousy and betrayal — it remains relevant to the present day and is often performed in professional and community theatres alike.
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Titus Andronicus
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 3 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Titus Andronicus is the main character and tragic hero in William Shakespeare's play of the same name, Titus Andronicus, a Senecan tragedy. Titus is a Roman nobleman and a general in the war who distinguished himself in ten years of service against the Goths. Despite his exemplary service the war's toll on him is sufficient that he declined the emperorship. Nonetheless, he begins the play as an exemplary citizen. However faith in the traditions of the Roman system of government eventually leads to his death as others seek revenge.