Listen free for 30 days
-
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Michael Maloney, Damian Lewis, Saskia Wickham, Lucy Robinson, John Woodvine
- Length: 1 hr and 59 mins
- Performance
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Drama & Plays
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £12.89
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Taming of the Shrew
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Frances Barber, Roger Allam, Alan Cox
- Length: 2 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Padua holds many suitors for the hand of fair Bianca, but Bianca may not be married until her spinster sister, Kate, is wed. Could any man be rash enough to take on Kate? The witty adventurer Petruchio undertakes the task. While he sets about transforming Kate from foul-tempered termagant to loving wife, young Lucentio and his clever servant, Tranio, plot to win Bianca.
-
-
my opinion
- By Amazon Customer on 28-09-21
-
Timon of Athens
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Alan Howard, Norman Rodway, Damian Lewis
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
The Winter's Tale
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Sinead Cusack, Ciaran Hinda, Eileen Atkins, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Exit pursued by bear
- By Amazon Customer on 28-11-16
-
Measure for Measure: The Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Simon Russell Beale, Roger Allam, Stella Gonet
- Length: 2 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
The Merry Wives of Windsor
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Dinsdale Landen, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Penny Downie, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 14 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The dissolute Falstaff plans to seduce Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, two "Merry Wives of Windsor," there by gaining access to their husbands' wealth. The two women have the old rogue's measure, however, and Falstaff's plots lead only to his own humiliation. But the merry wives themselves fall prey to plotting as their plans to prevent Mistress Page's daughter Anne from marrying the young man she loves are frustrated in their turn.
-
-
Fantastic production of a brilliant play
- By David Hill on 01-04-18
-
The Tragedy of King Lear
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
The Taming of the Shrew
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Frances Barber, Roger Allam, Alan Cox
- Length: 2 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Padua holds many suitors for the hand of fair Bianca, but Bianca may not be married until her spinster sister, Kate, is wed. Could any man be rash enough to take on Kate? The witty adventurer Petruchio undertakes the task. While he sets about transforming Kate from foul-tempered termagant to loving wife, young Lucentio and his clever servant, Tranio, plot to win Bianca.
-
-
my opinion
- By Amazon Customer on 28-09-21
-
Timon of Athens
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Alan Howard, Norman Rodway, Damian Lewis
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
The Winter's Tale
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Sinead Cusack, Ciaran Hinda, Eileen Atkins, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Exit pursued by bear
- By Amazon Customer on 28-11-16
-
Measure for Measure: The Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Simon Russell Beale, Roger Allam, Stella Gonet
- Length: 2 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
The Merry Wives of Windsor
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Dinsdale Landen, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Penny Downie, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 14 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The dissolute Falstaff plans to seduce Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, two "Merry Wives of Windsor," there by gaining access to their husbands' wealth. The two women have the old rogue's measure, however, and Falstaff's plots lead only to his own humiliation. But the merry wives themselves fall prey to plotting as their plans to prevent Mistress Page's daughter Anne from marrying the young man she loves are frustrated in their turn.
-
-
Fantastic production of a brilliant play
- By David Hill on 01-04-18
-
The Tragedy of King Lear
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Mark Bowen
- Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
Love's Labor's Lost: The Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Alex Jennings, Emma Fielding, Samantha Bond, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 26 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The young king of Navarre and three of his courtiers have vowed to lock themselves away for three years of study and fasting, and to forswear the company of women for this period. No sooner is their vow made than it is tested, however, as the princess of France and three of her ladies arrive in Navarre on a diplomatic mission. The young men fall instantly and hopelessly in love, and the tension between their vow and their passion forms the subject of this charming and sparkling early comedy.
-
-
Beautifully realised
- By Amazon Customer on 06-10-15
-
Macbeth: The Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Hugh Ross, Harriet Walter
- Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The brave warrior Macbeth allows himself to be persuaded by Lady Macbeth, his wife, to slay good King Duncan and seize the throne of Scotland for himself. Macbeth achieves his ambition, but one murder proves not to be enough as he desperately attempts to eliminate all who might threaten his ill-gotten power. Descending into paranoia, Macbeth achieves his ambition but ravages his soul.
-
The Comedy of Errors
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: David Tennant, Brendan Coyle, Alan Cox, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chaos and confusion mount to a crescendo in a wild and fast-paced comedy of mistaken identity, one of Shakespeare's earliest plays. Young Antipholus of Syracuse is searching the world for his identical twin brother, separated from him at birth. With him is his servant Dromio, who lost his twin brother at the same time. The pair arrive in Ephesus where, unbeknownst to them, their twins are living.
-
-
Excellent audio and reading of every character.
- By Mrs Aline Jewell on 04-07-19
-
Pericles
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Sir John Gielgud, Nigel Terry, Stella Gonet, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pericles, Prince of Tyre, undergoes a tyrant's fury, storm, and shipwreck. He wins love and suffers loss, but what is lost may also be found. With the ancient poet Gower acting as narrator, we follow the adventures of Pericles from young manhood to maturity. This strange and powerful tale of loss and recovery is the first in the group of romance comedies created by Shakespeare at the end of his dramatic career.
-
-
An excellent performance!
- By ColonelJames on 24-09-17
-
Twelfth Night
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: full cast, David Tennant, Naomi Frederick
- Length: 2 hrs and 1 min
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Tennant stars as Malvolio in Shakespeare's comedy of disguise, madness and love. One of Shakespeare's happiest plays, Twelfth Night is both a comedy of misrule and a trenchant attack on puritanism. Disguise and deceit leads to misadventure, madness and mistaken love. Orsino loves Olivia, but she loves Cesario, who really does love Orsino (for Cesario is actually Viola).
-
-
A marvelous Tennant leads an equally fine cast
- By Anonymous User on 09-10-20
-
Titus Andronicus
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: David Troughton, Harriet Walter, Paterson Joseph, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 42 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
A harrowing tale.
- By Joey Dean on 08-08-17
-
Much Ado about Nothing
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Saskia Reeves, Samuel West, Paul Jesson, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Young Claudio has fallen for the lovely heiress Hero, who also loves him. Their path to the altar looks smooth, until the evil Don John intervenes. All ends happily, thanks to his incompetent assassins and the lucky discoveries of the bungling constable Dogberry. Central to the play, one of Shakespeare's best-loved comedies, are Beatrice and Benedick, masters of wit and sworn foes to marriage - until a plot is hatched to bring them together.
-
All's Well That Ends Well
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Samuel West, Emily Woof
- Length: 2 hrs and 36 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The young and virtuous physician's daughter Helena desperately loves Count Bertram, but he regards her as beneath his notice. When Helena cures the king of France of a mortal illness, he rewards her with Bertram's hand, but before their marriage can be consummated the count flees. To win her husband back again, Helena forms a daring and resourceful plan. A plot to unmask the strutting soldier Parolles makes up another strand in this sometimes disturbing comedy of deception and disguise.
-
Troilus and Cressida
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Ian Pepperell, Julia Ford
- Length: 3 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Troy is besieged by the invading Greeks, but the young Trojan prince Troilus can think only of his love for Cressida. Her uncle Pandarus brings the two together, but after only one night news comes that Cressida must be sent to the enemy camp. There, as Troilus looks on, she yields to the wooing of the Greek Diomedes. The tragic story is undercut by the commentary of Thersites, who provides a cynical chorus.
-
-
Shakespeare in surly mood or a classic debunked
- By MR B. on 01-05-19
-
As You Like It
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Vanessa Redgrave
- Length: 2 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As You Like It follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousin, Celia, and Touchstone, the court jester, to find safety and eventually love in the Forest of Arden.
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Oberon, King of the Fairies, uses his magic upon four runaway lovers in a midsummer wood outside Athens, chaos ensues. Who really loves whom? Meanwhile, a band of well-meaning but bungling local actors have their rehearsal sabotaged by the mischievous Puck, who bewitches their leader, Bottom, and Titania, the Fairy Queen. The result is a lively and anarchic comedy that can only be resolved by an elaborate disentangling of spells.
-
-
Brilliant
- By LucyB on 07-12-20
-
Richard II
- Arkangel Shakespeare
- By: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Rupert Graves, Julian Glover, John Wood
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The sensitive and poetic Richard II is undoubtedly the rightful king of England, but he is unscrupulous and weak. When his cousin Henry Bolingbroke returns from banishment and mounts a challenge to his authority, Richard's right to the throne proves of little help to him. Richard is forced to abdicate, but as his power is stripped away, he gains dignity and self-awareness, and he meets his death heroically.
-
-
the best
- By PNT on 01-01-19
Summary
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.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joey Dean
- 10-04-17
An enjoyable performance.
I am working my way through this first class series and have been extremely impressed with the quality of performance so far. Highly recommended.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Tad Davis
- 08-06-14
Prentice work
It's been a major treat finally having the Arkangel Shakespeare available on Audible - almost as good as finally getting the Beatles on iTunes. This remarkable series of recordings includes every play Shakespeare wrote, in a full-court-press audio production with sound effects and an original score. The series is 10-15 years old at this point, but it holds up magnificently.
"The Two Gentlemen of Verona" is not one of Shakespeare's best. My own private theory is that it was his first play, written before he even left Stratford. Most of the scenes involve only two people; the famous (or infamous) last scene leaves one character, Sylvia, mute for the last 10 minutes. The turning point of the play is completely unbelievable. The puns, some of them tedious to begin with, go on forever, and there's a surprising carelessness about place names. It's definitely prentice work.
On the other hand, the play has the servant Launce and his dog Crab. Launce is played here by the brilliant John Woodvine: if you're old enough, you may remember him as the evil uncle from the sprawling stage production of "Nicholas Nickleby." Launce is dumb as a post, but not so dumb that he can't see that his master, Proteus, is a scoundrel. Proteus is played by Michael Maloney (who did a brilliant turn as the Dauphin in Branagh's "Henry V"); he tries to betray the love interest of his best friend, Valentine, played by Damian Lewis (quite a change from his more recent incarnation on "Homeland"). In fact, one of the pleasures to be had from the series is recognizing the voices of actors who are better-known in other contexts.
The music for all of the Arkangel productions is composed by Dominique Le Gendre. The score sounds like the kind of jazzy, smoky music you'd hear in the background at a candlelit dinner. Usually it works, but the one criticism I have of the production is that his version of "Who is Sylvia?" misses the mark, with an overly complex melody that doesn't quite fit the pace of the lyrics. It's a rare misstep in the series.
If you're going for the Shakespeare highlights, you can give this one a pass. But if you're determined to do the whole canon, it's well worth your while: if nothing else, there's always Crab.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Darwin8u
- 02-01-17
For truth hath better deeds than words to grace it
"That man that hath a tongue, I say is no man,
If with his tongue he cannot win a woman.
William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act III, Scene I
The first play in my 2017 First Folio journey is 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona'. The Bard is often held up as a genius when writing about human nature. This, his first play, has its moments and certainly its characters, but the ending especially shows that Shakespeare's brilliance came line-upon-line and not all at once. The ending seemed too much like a clip-on bow tie: too balanced, too perfect, too forgiving, too fake. It didn't ring true.
That said, the play isn't a complete disaster. This comedy of love did provide us with a cross-dressing Julia (Shakespeare will return to this), and servants that are often wiser than their masters. Speed and Launce were especially nice characters.
There were also several nice lines, specifically:
- "Fire that's closest kept burns most of all."
- "Till I have found each letter in the letter."
- "To her whose worth makes other worthies nothing."
- "Love, lend me wings to make my purpose swift,
As thou has lent me wit to pot this drift."
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Kindle Customer
- 10-09-18
Bad music choice
The upbeat jazz played between and during scenes didn't match the play's action or feeling.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- James
- 24-05-19
Classic Shakespeare
actors were very good. Story was funny and side splitting. A Shakespeare must listen to
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Diana S. Long
- 06-01-18
Friendship and Fidelity
I listened to the Arkangel Audio while reading Delphi Complete Works of William Shakespeare E-Book. The music from the audio quite threw me off a bit as it was more geared to a piano bar than a rendition of the play from the 16th - 17th century, director's prerogative no doubt, but I adjusted. In this play, which is considered a comedy, the main theme is friendship and fidelity. Add a character who is rather entertaining with a dog (replete with panting in the background) and we have a very entertaining and enjoyable work.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- S. Riggs
- 05-01-18
Love everything about this audio book!
The narrators were brilliant. Very well done. This is my first Shakespeare audio book, I'm very familiar with his work, and I cannot recommend this audio version highly enough. I'm ready to listen to it again I loved it so much!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- 3056Warfield
- 05-10-16
Chapter divisions & headings
Rather than a division into chapters, a division based on the scenes of the play would have been much more user/listener friendly...
Also would have been very helpful to have the act and scene numbers - rather than the chapter number - appear in the banner heading....
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- JMN Reynolds
- 01-06-16
This is well done
None are so blind as those who think they are in love when they are only the fools of Eros. Shakespeare helps all find true love in this delightful comedy. . . the play is well acted and the direction keeps the lines moving and the comedy flowing. I do miss seeing the dog.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- the lenz
- 16-11-15
Great but for two faults
The pronunciation of Milan was odd. And I suppose jazz helps to improve the play for modern audiences. It would otherwise be old and boring?