Classic Plays

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.

In Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark has recently lost his father, but his mother is in a hurry to marry her late husband's brother. Hamlet is overwhelmed with grief for his father's death but also outraged because of the hurried marriage. Most people don't realize that there are three versions of Hamlet, printed at different times. There is a considerable difference between the texts of these versions, so to have a "complete" version of this play, editors had to make some adjustments. The three texts are simply different versions of the play.

When the curtains rise on Angelina Weld Grimké’s devastating drama, the Lovings—a Black family from the South—have settled into a small but immaculate apartment in an unnamed northern city. The widowed matriarch, Mary; her daughter, Rachel; and her son, Tom anticipate a more promising future here, but Rachel, a sensitive young woman, has a sudden reckoning with the past that throws her future into serious doubt.

Helen heals the king of France, and the king grants her permission to marry Bertram, the man she loves. Bertram rejects her and leaves a list of tasks that she must do to have him acknowledge their marriage. She follows him to Italy, completes all the tasks and Bertram accepts her as his wife.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a delightful tale of true love having to struggle against duty and pride. It has three separate interlocking stories set in Athens, a woodland, and the realm of the fairies - all under a moonlit sky. This is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays, and this reading unfolds the plot quickly while retaining its charm.

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young Italian 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.

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.

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.

Twin brothers and their twin manservants, separated as infants by a shipwreck and unaware of each other, cross paths in Epheus when they are adults. What could possibly go wrong?

Rediscover the greatest love poetry ever written. Shakespeare’s sonnets are some of the nation’s favourite lines of verse, but the Elizabethan language can make it difficult to really understand them. Many guides offer to clarify the meaning, but lose the magic of the words by explaining them away. James Anthony has done something boldly different.

Shakespeare was heavily influenced by Holy Writ. Bible lines, characters, and narratives are "verbal characters" in his plays, poems, and sonnets, sometimes subtly and sometimes blatantly. But they are there, revealing the deep scriptural well that was the culture from which Shakespeare drew and reminding us of scenes and stories in the Bible.

Award-winning narrator Mike Vendetti recites William Shakespeare's Sonnet 43.

Award-winning narrator Mike Vendetti recites Shakespeare’s "Sonnet 12".

Mai parole più belle uscirono dalla penna di un poeta per raccontarci il contrastato e infinito amore di due giovani, Romeo e Giulietta, rampolli di due famiglie nemiche tra loro nella turbolenta Verona del Trecento. È solo l’amore a muovere le avventurose fila della storia, è l’amore l’unica legge che Giulietta e Romeo vogliono assecondare, la sola origine dei loro pensieri, l’unico sogno per cui valga la pena di vivere.

This play, which bears an alternate title of What You Will, was written in about 1602. Twelfth Night has always been one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, and many adaptations have been made for film and musical theatre.

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.

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

William Shakespeare is widely considered the greatest writer in the history of the English language, so renowned and respected that the time period in which he lived is often known as the Age of Shakespeare. Indeed, his genius is questioned only by those who doubt the authenticity of his authorship of timeless classics like Romeo and Juliet. As Ben Jonson once put it, "He was not of an age, but for all time."

Tales from Shakespeare was written by Charles Lamb (1775-1834) and his sister Mary Lamb (1764-1847) in 1807 as a prose adaptation for children. Mary wrote most of the comedies, about 14 of the 20. One Voice Recordings presents for your entertainment stage and voice actor David Ian Davies portraying all the characters in this charming retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream

Roman General Coriolanus makes his name defeating an enemy army and defending Rome. The Senate nominates him as consul, but he cannot win the people's vote, so he is banished from Rome and allies with his old enemy. He comes to attack Rome, his mother persuades him not to and his new-found ally kills him for the betrayal.