Classic Plays

The duke leaves Angelo in charge of Vienna, where he quickly condemns Claudio to death for immoral behaviour. Angelo offers to pardon Claudio if his sister, Isabella, sleeps with him. Isabella agrees but has Angelo's fiancée switch places with her. The duke returns to spare Claudio, punish Angelo and propose to Isabella.

Depicting a once-great ruler's descent into madness, King Lear is one of the most powerful tragedies ever staged. King Lear divides his kingdom among the two daughters who flatter him and banishes the third one who loves him. His eldest daughters both then reject him at their homes, so Lear goes mad and wanders through a storm. His banished daughter returns with an army, but they lose the battle and Lear, all his daughters and more, die.

Count Claudio falls in love with Hero, the daughter of his host. Hero's cousin Beatrice (a confirmed spinster) and Benedict (an eternal bachelor) are each duped into believing the other is in love with them. Claudio is deceived by a malicious plot and denounces Hero as unchaste before they marry. She faints and is believed dead but recovers to be proved innocent by a chance discovery. Benedict wins Beatrice’s love defending her cousin’s honour, and to his surprise, Claudio is reunited with Hero, who he believed dead.

Shakespeare's King John is a rarely performed history which tells the story of John's turbulent reign from 1199 to 1216. King John goes to war against the French after claims that his nephew should be king instead. John has conflict with the church, orders his nephew's death and turns the nobles against himself. In the end, John dies from poison, the French retreat and his son becomes king.

This adaptation of Charles Dickens's beloved novella, A Christmas Carol, attempts to convey this wonderful story of a covetous old sinner's redemption into a two hour long performance. In its narration, some slight liberties have been taken to make accessible obscure words and references that some modern listeners may find challenging. The retained dialogues and dialects are those of Charles Dickens and remain faithful to his writing.

An unassuming woman wanders around the landscape of hell accompanied by a dammed priest and a '60s styles teenage demon activist. The trio is sometimes helped and sometimes hindered by a god-like being with dysfunctional split personalities. All You Can Eat contains the following episodes:

Greybeards at Play is a short collection of humorous poetry by celebrated British writer and social commentator, Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936). Published in 1900, it was Chesterton's first publication. These rhymes and sketches spin witty lyrics around themes such as aestheticism, the philosopher's love of nature, and ill-directed altruism, in true Chestertonian style.

In this audio play, an award-winning stage adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic gothic novel is brought to life.

Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's best dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major language, and are the most performed ever. His work contains stunningly modern insight, witty jokes and soaring passion; it is an endless source of amazement and inspiration. Romeo and Juliet is perhaps his most famous and beloved; this heartbreaking tale of impossible love has marked every generation since its publication, and it is an essential part of Western culture.

You've read the play, but you don't understand the symbolism. You've been to every class, but it's 2 a.m. and your essay is due at 9:00. Your midterm is Friday and you need a boost. We've been there. We know what it's like to study, work, have a life, do your best, and still need help. Course Hero Study Guides untie the knots. You do the work - we give you the tools to make every minute count. We help you get unstuck.

You've read the play, but you don't understand the symbolism. You've been to every class, but it's 2 a.m. and your essay is due at 9:00. Your midterm is Friday and you need a boost. We've been there. We know what it's like to study, work, have a life, do your best, and still need help. Course Hero Study Guides untie the knots. You do the work - we give you the tools to make every minute count. We help you get unstuck.

A classic comedy by the great Oscar Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest is his short farce consisting of numerous noms de plume, a case of mistaken identity, an identity left in a case by mistake, and the mistake of revealing ones identity in the presence of a previous employer, which may result post-script in a case for Scotland Yard. Or to put much more simply, of Jack and his attempts to woo Gwendolyn, his would-be bride... even if she does seem to think his name is Earnest.

David Ian Davies performs this unique and exciting reading of William Shakespeare's erotic poem, The Rape of Lucrece - not available on cassette or CD!

A solo recording of Julius Caesar in an American dialect.

A solo recording of A Midsummer Night's Dream in an American dialect.

This remarkable collection contains some of William Shakespeare's most famous speeches, soliloquies, and sonnets, as performed by Sir John Gielgud, the preeminent Shakespearean actor of the 20th century. Ages of Man is a perfect introduction to Shakespeare for the uninitiated and a thrilling treat for aficionados.

Here, in all 154 of Shakespeare's immortal sonnets, addressed to a friend about the woman he loves and to his muse. We discover the promise of youth, the ecstasy of love, and the devastation of loss.

Macbeth is William Shakespeare's immortal tale of boundless, bloody ambition. Mystical predictions from witches and ghosts, combined with an uncontrollable lust for power, trap Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, in a web of political intrigue, madness, and murder.

Everything You Need to Know About Romeo & Juliet is the perfect resource for understanding Shakespeare's most famous tragedy, including an introduction to the famous playwright and a comprehensive explanation of the play's characters, plot, themes, and its influential and enduring legacy. With Romeo & Juliet as relevant as ever today, get caught up quickly with this resourceful guide.

The noble Timon lavishes wealth and kindness upon his friends. But what happens to their allegience when his fortunes begin to fail?