Classic Plays

A magical tale of enchantment, retribution and love. Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, is betrayed by his brother and exiled to a desert island with his daughter Miranda. With the help of Ariel, a spirit, he uses his supernatural powers to shipwreck his brother and others on the same island. With a series of illusions, he regains his rightful place and finds a husband for his daughter.

An award winning Drama from SmartPass. Unabridged with guided description to set the scene and fill in visual moments.

Bassanio is a man in love, but he does not have much money to his name, and thus is unable to woo the rich heiress Portia. His friend Antonio suggests that they borrow money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender who has had many dealings with Antonio in the past. Shylock, being of Antonio’s ability to repay, agrees to grant the loan with a difficult condition. If the loan is not repaid in full by the agreed date, Shylock will take a pound of Antonio’s flesh.

An award winning Drama from SmartPass. Unabridged with guided description to set the scene and fill in visual moments.

A BBC Radio 4 production of Othello, starring Lenny Henry in title role. The comic makes his stage debut as the tortured Moor. One of Shakespeare's most revered tragedies, the play tells the story of a noble African commander in the service of the Venetian army, whose mind is poisoned against the one he loves by the jealous and hate-filled Iago. The production opened at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and subsequently toured the country before arriving in London's West End to rave reviews.

Hedda and George Tesman have just returned from their six-month honeymoon tour of the Tyrol. George, a studious and somewhat dull academic has spent most of the time continuing his research. Hedda, the daughter of the celebrated, aristocratic General Gabler, recently deceased, has been accustomed to the finer things in life. She is already bored in her marriage and diverts herself with her father's pistols and the attentions of family friend, Judge Brack.

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.

A delightfully oddball classic by G.K. Chesterton—now with illustrations and bonus whimsy! Dancing stars, leaping gentlemen, and poetic nonsense await in Greybeards at Play, Chesterton’s very first published work. This lighthearted collection pokes fun at literary seriousness while celebrating imagination in its purest form. This edition features 25 quirky poems (including a dedication, moral, and envoy), each paired with illustrations that capture the spirit and wit of the original work—bringing Chesterton’s humor to life like never before. BONUS CONTENT INCLUDED: At the end of the...

Comedy, tragedy and folklore are played out in this quartet, all of which utilise the masque in unique and revelatory ways. Performed by an incredible array of the 20th century’s greatest actors, Marlowe alumni including Ian McKellen, Prunella Scales, Michael Hordern and Patrick Wymark can be heard in these recordings.

Measure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604 performed by Sir John Gielgud and cast.Measure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604. It was (and continues to be) classified as comedy, but its mood defy those expectations. As a result and for a variety of reasons, some critics have labeled it as one of Shakespeare's problem plays.

The Noh theatre of Japan was popularized towards the end of the 14th century. It was heavily influenced by Buddhism in philosophy and style, and was made up of dances performed at Shinto shrines to honor spirits and gods and old lyric poetry. Around the same time Shakespeare's Hamlet was being performed in London, Noh was integral to official ceremonies at Kyoto, and young nobles and princes were encouraged to attend and perform. This is a collection of four short plays from the Noh theatres of Japan - Hagoromo, Kumasaka, Kagekiyo, and Nishigiki.

Charles Dickens was 31 and the author of six major works when he became outraged by the working conditions of children. With the hope that he could move more readers to action, he wrote A Christmas Carol in 6 weeks. But even with a sold-out publishing run, the funds available were insufficient now that his wife was pregnant with their fifth child. Dickens loved the theatre and took to reading A Christmas Carol to audiences. The novella soon gained fame, and millions of copies have been sold making the phrase “Merry Christmas” universal. Note from the author: “About twenty years ago, ...

When a handsome young man begins to court Catherine Sloper, she feels she is very lucky. She is a quiet, gentle girl, but neither beautiful nor clever; no one had ever admired her before, or come to the front parlour of her home in Washington Square to whisper soft words of love to her. But in New York in the 1840s young ladies are not free to marry where they please. Catherine must have her father’s permission, and Dr Sloper is a rich man.

After York's claims to the throne, Henry changes the succession and makes York his heir, disinheriting his own son. Henry's queen kills York, and York's son Edward seizes the throne. Henry is imprisoned several times and eventually killed by King Edward's brother, Richard.

Against the wishes of the nobles, King Henry marries the penniless Margaret, who plots against him with her lover. As tensions between York and Lancaster build, the duke of York gathers supporters for his claim to the throne. York secretly leads a rebellion, his supporters proclaim him king and Henry is forced to flee.

King Henry IV suffers from illness, so his youngest son, Prince John, fights the rebels, while Prince Hal prepares to be king. Meanwhile, Hal's friend Falstaff causes trouble, recruits and speaks ill of Hal. Henry dies and Hal becomes King Henry V. He banishes Falstaff from court, ready to wage war on France.

With detailed plot summaries and an in-depth analysis of the major characters and themes, this is a brilliant, innovative exploration of the entire canon of Shakespeare plays, sonnets and poetry, from the comedies of Twelfth Night and As You Like It to the tragedies of Julius Caesar and Hamlet, plus lost plays and lesser known works of poetry. Packed with witty anecdotes and memorable quotes, The Shakespeare Book, with Roger May's narration, brings the Bard's best-loved characters and story lines to life.

The young Danish Prince, Hamlet, is vexed by a trip home to Denmark from school in Germany, to attend his father, the king's funeral. Upon arriving at home, Hamlet has discovered that his mother has already become married to the former King's brother, Hamlet's uncle. What's more, the man has declared himself to be King of Denmark even though Hamlet was the true and rightful heir. Hamlet is enraged by this deception, and immediately suspects foul play in his father's murder.

Othello follows the story of the Moor through love, jealousy and deceit. Iago is furious about being overlooked for promotion and plots to take revenge against his general; Othello, the Moor of Venice. Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful, stirring Othello's jealousy. Othello allows jealousy to consume him, murders Desdemona and then kills himself.

Julius Caesar is a marked man. Adoring commoners celebrate his battlefield victories, but those higher up the Roman political ladder worry that his ambition has grown too large. On a stormy night full of alarming sights and ominous portents, Cassius persuades Caesar's friend Brutus to help him with a momentous task: assassinate Caesar for the good of the Republic. But death doesn't stop Caesar, whose spirit haunts the destinies of his friends and enemies, threatening the republican ideal for which they murdered him.