Classic Plays

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.

A comedic romance of mistaken identity, Twelfth Night begins with a shipwreck, splitting up Viola and her twin brother, Sebastian. Alone in a strange land, Viola disguises herself as a male servant, Cesario, in order to work for the Duke Orsino. Orsino is in love with Lady Olivia, but it is Cesario whom Olivia falls for. A farcical tale of misplaced love, confusion, gender-swapping and aspiration, Twelfth Night remains one of Shakespeare’s best-loved and inventive comedies....

The Roman General Titus Andronicus returns from war with four prisoners who vow to take revenge against him. They rape and mutilate Titus' daughter and have his sons killed and banished. Titus kills two of them and cooks them into a pie, which he serves to their mother before killing her, too. The Roman emperor kills Titus, and Titus' last remaining son kills the emperor and takes his place.

The Life and Death of King John was probably written in the 1590s but not published until the First Folio in 1623. Of Shakespeare's 11 history plays, King John is the one which deals with the story of a monarch most removed from Shakespeare's time. The historical remoteness of this ruler, and also the fact that he had no genealogical links with the Tudor dynasty, enabled Shakespeare to present him in a warts and allà fashion.

The Marlowe Society perform Shakespeare's comedy 'As You Like It' which follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle's court to find safety and eventually love in the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia and court jester, Touchstone.

Leontes, suspecting his wife's infidelity, imprisons her and exiles her infant daughter to a faraway island. Years later, his wife, presumed dead, is returned to him as a statue.

The Merchant of Venice (by William Shakespeare) starring David Serero as Shylock. Adapted in a Jewish Sephardi style.

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.

King Cymbeline of Britain banishes his daughter Imogen's husband, who then makes a bet on Imogen's fidelity. Imogen is accused of being unfaithful, runs away and becomes a page for the Roman army as it invades Britain. In the end, Imogen clears her name, discovers her long-lost brothers and reunites with her husband while Cymbeline makes peace with Rome.

Hey nonny, nonny - the Bard’s "greatest hits" are all here! Performed with a lively full musical cast ,interspersed with engaging and informative introductory narrative, this imaginative recording uses song and sonnet from Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies to highlight his works, in his own words. Whether listeners are long-time Shakespearean aficionados or new students of the Englishman’s genius, this educational and entertaining new recording is certain to delight!

Jealous conspirators convince Caesar's friend Brutus to join their assassination plot against Caesar. To stop Caesar from gaining too much power, Brutus and the conspirators kill him on the Ides of March. Mark Antony drives the conspirators out of Rome and fights them in a battle. Brutus and his friend Cassius lose and kill themselves, leaving Antony to rule in Rome.

Universally admired and quoted, Shakespeare’s Sonnets have love, beauty and the passing of time at their heart. Featuring some of the best-known and best-loved lines in the history of poetry (‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’, ‘Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds’), these evocative sonnets explore passion, the fleeting nature of beauty and the essence of true and everlasting love.

An adaptation of William Shakespeare's 1603-1604 play Measure for Measure adapted and in plain English to a 20-minute production by Charlie Creed. The original was first published in the First Folio in 1623. It was originally classified as a comedy, though is now considered more of a problem play. The play is set in Vienna and focuses on the themes of relationships, integrity, and legal complications. This is a full cast, abridged production of the play in plain English.

William Shakespeare's classic masterpiece, the tragedy of Othello, Moor of Venice, joined in an interracial marriage to the beautiful Desdemona and driven to suspicion and jealousy by his maleficent officer Iago.

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.

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

The story revolves around its two central characters: Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, and his unfaithful ensign, Iago. This is one of the most prolific Shakespeare works, featuring themes of passion, jealousy, love, betrayal, revenge and repentance. This edition of Othello is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work. Read in English, unabridged.

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 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.

When nothing’s going right, someone’s gotta give. Three unusual stories of perseverance, tenacity and cleverness, with surprising endings. Dignity Formerly published in Writer's Guild. A journalist has a chance encounter with a young woman in a government office. The woman's disturbing past makes the journalist question everything she believes in and stands for. Paper Cut Formerly published in The Junction. In a rich neighbourhood of Mumbai, two scrap dealers are facing destitute times. Supply is limited, costs are rising, and they’re competing against each other on the same turf. But...