A heart-wrenching full-cast adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by John Steinbeck, starring Jeffrey Donovan and Shirley Knight. Set during the Great Depression, The Grapes of Wrath tells the powerful story of the Joad family's trek from the dust bowl of Oklahoma to the promise of a new life in California. But what they find threatens to rip apart their lives, and sever the ties that bind them together. Starring Shirley Knight as Ma Joad, Frank Galati's play finds its timeless heart in the generous spirit of the common man. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Shirley Knight as Ma Joad Jeffrey Donovan as Tom Joad Emily Bergl as Rose of Sharon Michael Buie as Connie and others Daniel Chacon as Al Joad Maurice Chasse as Deputy Sheriff and others Shannon Cochran as Mrs. Wainwright and Elizabeth Sandry Trista Delamere as 2nd Narrator and Al's Girl Francis Guinan as Jim Casy Charlie Matthes as Willy and others Gas Station Attendant and Hooper Ranch Guard Rod McLachlan as Uncle John Robert Pescovitz as Pa Joad Joel Rafael as Car Salesman and Man with Guitar Stephen Ramsey as 1st Narrator and others Nick Sadler as Agricultural Officer and others Andy Taylor as Gas Station Owner and others Floyd Knowles and Weedpatch Camp Director Todd Waring as Hooper Ranch Bookkeeper and others Fredd Wayne as Grampa, Mayor of Hooverville and Camp Guard Michael Weston as Noah Joad and others Kate Williamson as Gramma and others Live music performed by the Joel Rafael Band. Adapted by Frank Galati. Directed by Richard Masur. Recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles.

The Grapes of Wrath

A powerful exploration of machismo and sexual desire, by Peru's most acclaimed writer. A Peruvian desert town in the 1940s. When a young girl disappears it seems that only La Chunga, the barwoman, knows the truth, but refuses to tell. Undeterred, the local men make up their own version of what happened in an attempt to extract the full story. Mario Vargas Llosa's play Mistress of Desires ( La Chunga) was written in 1985 and first staged in January 1986 in the Teatro Canout, Lima, Peru, by the Grupo Ensayo. This English translation by Sebatian Doggart was first staged in February 1992 in Christ's Theatre, Cambridge University, by The Southern Development Trust.

NHB Modern Plays

Mistress of Desires

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. ‘By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes.’ Shakespeare’s darkest psychological thriller. Three witches tell the Scottish general Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth kills the king, becomes the new king, and kills more people out of paranoia. Civil war erupts to overthrow Macbeth, resulting in more death. All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations. Thurston Dart, Professor of Music at London University and a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, directed the music for this production. The full cast includes: Toby Robertson; Roger Prior; Tony Church; John Barton; Gerald Mosbach; Gary Watson; Derek Jacobi; David Jones; Chris Renard; Terrence Hardiman; Donald Beves; Richard Marquand; John Tracy-Phillips; Michael Bates; Terrence Hardiman; George Rylands; John Arnott; Clive Swift; John Bird; John Kimber; Irene Worth; Freda Dowie; Mrs Shire; Willa Muir; Freda Dowie; Janette Richer.

Argo Classics

Macbeth

Bruno has a friend called Shmuel. Like Bruno, Shmuel is nine years old. Their birthdays are on the same day. But Shmuel lives on the other side of a fence, and he's always wearing striped pyjamas... Based on the best-selling novel by John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a heart-wrenching tale of an unlikely friendship between two innocent boys. Angus Jackson's deeply affecting adaptation was produced by The Children's Touring Partnership and Chichester Festival Theatre on a UK tour in 2015.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

'I wonder what I have to do for people to recognise me as a threat. Do I have to smash a glass over the head of every single man I come into contact with, just so I leave a mark?' Irina takes erotic photos of average-looking men. Always behind the lens, she watches, she moulds, and she stalks. These boys are putty in her hands, just the way she likes it. When the opportunity to show her photographs in a fashionable London gallery coincides with a new boy to obsess over, cracks begin to appear. How far can she push her new prey for the perfect shot, or has she already gone too far? Based on the critically acclaimed debut novel by Eliza Clark, which was a finalist for the Women's Prize Futures Award, Boy Parts is a pitch-black psychological thriller that subverts the erotic gaze and asks what happens when our need for connection gets twisted. This stage adaptation for one actor by Gillian Greer was premiered in 2023 at Soho Theatre, London, in a co-production between Metal Rabbit Productions and Soho Theatre, and directed by Sara Joyce. Praise for Eliza Clark's novel: 'Hilariously sardonic… Will make most readers howl with laughter and/or shut their eyes in horror'Guardian 'A carnival funhouse ride: terrifying, feverish, hilarious' Julia Armfield 'Boundaries are for breaking and if anyone can crash through and reinterpret the fear of our time, Eliza Clark can'Mslexia 'Hallucinogenic, electric and sharp' Jessica Andrews 'Delightfully and deviously rooted in the now with its delectable internet and culture references and evocative and real-feeling portrait of women'Dazed 'Smart, stylish, and very funny' Lara Williams 'Explores the darkest corners of artistic practice, sexuality and violence with bold wit and fearlessness. A dazzling, horrifying debut'Irish Times

Boy Parts

Stacy Keach and Jane Kaczmarek star in Arthur Miller's 1949 masterpiece, a searing portrait of the physical, emotional, and psychological costs of the American dream. Willy Loman (Keach) is the play's iconic traveling salesman, whose family is torn apart by his desperate obsession with success and social acceptance. As his two sons cast about aimlessly for their station in life, Willy begins to come unraveled when the reality of his life threatens his long-cherished illusions. Recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in March 2011. Directed by Eric Simonson Producing Director: Susan Albert Loewenberg An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Steven Culp as Biff Loman Maureen Flannigan as Letta/Jenny Jason Henning as Bernard/Stanley Jane Kaczmarek as Linda Loman Stacy Keach as Willy Loman Kathryn Meisle as The Woman Tim Monsion as Uncle Ben Sam McMurray as Charley John Sloan as Happy Loman Kate Steele as Miss Forsythe Kenneth Alan Williams as Howard Recording, Editing and Mixing Engineer: Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood Sound Effects Artist: Tony Palermo

Death of a Salesman (Unabridged)

Somewhere in shadowy post-war Vienna, where everyone has something to sell on the black market, lurks the third man who witnessed the murder of Harry Lime. Novelist Holly Martins is haunted by the death of his friend. His search for the killer makes electrifying drama, in this witty and sophisticated audio adaptation of the Graham Greene classic. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Ian Abercrombie as Captain Crabbin/Officer Rosalind Ayres as Anna Schmidt Ethan Glazer as Hansl Kelsey Grammer as Holly Martins John Mahoney as Major Calloway Wolf Muser as Baron von Kurtz/Priest/Official Barry Phillips as Sergeant Paine Andreas Renell as Porter/Driver Bettina Spier as Landlady Slav Troyan as Captain Brodsky/MP John Vickery as Harry Lime Tom Virtue as Mr. Tyler/Brigadier Norbert Weisser as Dr. Winkel/Sacher Concierge/Hansl's Father Original music by Raymond Guarna. Directed by Robert Robinson. Recorded before a live audience at the Guest Quarters Suite Hotel, Santa Monica in November of 1994.

The Third Man

Caedmon is proud to release this archival full-cast recording of Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire on cd for the first time! Blanche DuBois arrives at her sister Stella's New Orleans apartment seeking refuge from a troubled past—but her ethereal spirit irks Stella's husband, the loutish Stanley Kowalski. Crudely, relentlessly, he unmasks the lies and delusions that sustain Blanche, until her frail hold on reality is shockingly severed. This atmospheric recording of Tennessee Williams's powerful classic stars Rosemary Harris and James Farentino as Blanche and Stanley—roles they performed to acclaim in a smash revival at New York's Lincoln Center.

A Streetcar Named Desire

In the best known of P.G. Wodehouse's Bertie and Jeeves series, Bertie's aunt pressures him to steal a silver creamer, and he nearly gets lynched, arrested and engaged by mistake. As always, Jeeves is on hand with a last-minute brainstorm to set everything straight. Adapted by Mark Richard. A City Lit Theatre Company co-production. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Rosalind Ayres as Aunt Dahlia Patrice Egleston as Madeline Bassett Martin Jarvis as Jeeves/Roderick Spode Kelly Nespor as Stephanie 'Stiffy' Byng Kenneth J. Northcott as Sir Watkyn Bassett Henry M. Odum as Shopkeeper/Butterfield/Constable Eustace Oates Mark Richard as Bertie Wooster Nicolas Sandys as Harold 'Stinker' Pinker Thomas M. Shea as Gussie Fink-Nottle Directed by Mark Richard. Recorded before a live audience at the DoubleTree Guest Suites, Chicago in May of 1997.

The Code of the Woosters

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. ‘This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.’ The searing tragedy of young student Hamlet, tormented by his father’s death and confronting each of us with the mirror of our own mortality in an imperfect world. The ghost of the King of Denmark tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the new king, Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet feigns madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks revenge. His uncle, fearing for his life, also devises plots to kill Hamlet. The play ends with a duel, during which the King, Queen, Hamlet's opponent and Hamlet himself are all killed. All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations. Thurston Dart, Professor of Music at London University and a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, directed the music for this production. The full cast includes: Patrick Wymark; Anthony White; Miles Malleson; Ian Lang; Peter Orr; David Rowe-Beddoe; Philip Strick; John Tracy-Phillips; Giles Slaughter; George Rylands; Trevor Nunn; Michael Burrell; Julian Curry; David Coombes; Tom Bussman; Hugh Walters; Gary Watson; Ronald Allen; Roger Hammond; Margaretta Scot; Jeannette Sterke; William Devlin.

Hamlet

'The sky turns the colour of a jay's eye. The sea turns a deep royal purple. The mist lifts in quick, lithe ribbons, like a conjuring trick. Before us lies the island…' It's 1935, and an eccentric English family – four children, their widowed mother, and Roger the dog – arrives on the sun-soaked shores of Corfu to start a new life. For eleven-year-old Gerry Durrell, the extraordinary landscape provides the perfect playground. Its exotic fauna inspires a life-long fascination with the animal kingdom – and his much-loved memoir My Family and Other Animals. Janys Chambers' acclaimed stage adaptation was first seen at York Theatre Royal, and invites other theatre companies to make ingenious and inventive decisions, bringing to life all the inhabitants of Durrell's cherished island – whether they walk and talk, fly and squawk, crawl or swim or slither. 'Simply a delight... The play's triumph is in the way it captures the exuberance of youth and the strangeness of the new culture that Gerald and his family find themselves in... it's there in Janys Chambers' adaptation, which keeps chunks of Durrell's evocative prose while adding some wonderfully funny embellishments' - The Stage 'Durrell gets the revival he deserves... it fairly fizzes with life' - Daily Mail 'Weaves the poetic, wide-eyed prose of Gerald Durrell's childhood memoir into a really charming and fun play' - Whatsonstage

My Family and Other Animals (NHB Modern Plays)

South of No North is a collection of short stories written by Charles Bukowski that explore loneliness and struggles on the fringes of society.

South of No North

An epic new fantasy romance from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author C. L. Wilson After three long years of war, starkly handsome Wynter Atrialan will have his vengeance on Summerlea's king by taking one of the man's beautiful, beloved daughters as his bride. But though peace is finally at hand, Wynter's battle with the Ice Heart, the dread power he embraced to avenge his brother's death, rages on. Khamsin Coruscate, Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms, has spent her life exiled to the shadows of her father's palace. Reviled by her father, marriage to Wintercraig's icy king was supposed to be a terrible punishment, but instead offers Kham her first taste of freedom—and her first taste of overwhelming passion. As fierce, indomitable Wynter weathers even Khamsin's wildest storms, surprising her with a tenderness she never expected, Kham wants more than Wynter's passion—she yearns for his love. But the power of the Ice Heart is growing, dangerous forces are gathering, and a devastating betrayal puts Khamsin and Wynter to the ultimate test.

Weathermages of Mystral

The Winter King

'I sit on the loo and think about all the people I can have sex with now. I'm not obsessed with sex. I just can't stop thinking about it.' The Fleabag bites back. A rip-roaring account of some sort of female living her sort of life. Phoebe Waller-Bridge's debut play is an outrageously funny monologue for a female performer. Fleabag premiered at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, performed by Phoebe herself, before transferring to Soho Theatre, London, for the first of several successful runs, followed by UK and international tours, a sold-out run in New York and a West End run in 2019. Fleabag won a Fringe First Award in Edinburgh, the Most Promising New Playwright and Best Female Performance at the Off West End Theatre Awards, The Stage Award for Best Solo Performer and the Critics' Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright. It received a Special Commendation in the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and was nominated for the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. In 2016, Fleabag was turned into a wildly successful and 'utterly riveting' ( Guardian) BBC television series, with a second series following in 2019. This edition features the original play, plus an introduction by the author.

Fleabag: The Original Play

'I'd get freaked out here, alone in the dark. Wondering what's lurking at the bottom of the bed, ready to grab your feet.' Jenny and Sam – and their baby Phoebe – have recently moved into their new home. But something feels frightening and wrong. Very wrong. Over the baby monitor, at 2:22 every night, Jenny hears footsteps around her daughter's cot. Could the house be haunted? When their friends Lauren and Ben come round for a housewarming dinner, they drink wine, relive their pasts, and argue about the existence of ghosts. They decide to stay up until 2:22, to discover the truth. Over one adrenaline-filled night – as the foxes scream outside – secrets will emerge and ghosts may appear… Spine-chilling, funny and scary, Danny Robins' play 2:22 was premiered at the Noël Coward Theatre in London's West End in August 2021, directed by Matthew Dunster, and starring Lily Allen, Julia Chan, Hadley Fraser and Jake Wood. It provides rich opportunities for any drama group wanting to make things go bump in the night – and their audiences scream.

2:22: A Ghost Story (NHB Modern Plays)

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time. Impressively witty, beautiful and vain, with a penchant for meddling, Emma Woodhouse is mischievous force to be reckoned with. Though she has convinced herself that she will never marry, she somehow has garnered skills for 'matchmaking'. The formidable Prunella Scales brings the satirical bite to this timeless comedy of manners, reigniting Austen's unfailing exploration of society's obsession with class, its influence on a woman's choices and a woman's right to love.

Emma

The Sun Also Rises is a 1926 novel by American writer Ernest Hemingway, his first, that portrays American and British expatriates who travel from Paris to the Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls and the bullfights. An early and enduring modernist novel, it received mixed reviews upon publication. However, Hemingway biographer Jeffrey Meyers writes that it is now "recognized as Hemingway's greatest work", and Hemingway scholar Linda WagnerMartin calls it his most important novel. The novel was published in the United States in October 1926 by Scribner's. A year later, Jonathan Cape published the novel in London under the title Fiesta. It remains in print. The novel is a roman à clef: the characters are based on real people in Hemingway's circle, and the action is based on real events, particularly Hemingway's life in Paris in the 1920s and a trip to Spain in 1925 for the Pamplona festival and fishing in the Pyrenees. Hemingway presents his notion that the "Lost Generation"—considered to have been decadent, dissolute, and irretrievably damaged by World War I—was in fact resilient and strong. Hemingway investigates the themes of love and death, the revivifying power of nature, and the concept of masculinity. His spare writing style, combined with his restrained use of description to convey characterizations and action, demonstrates his "Iceberg Theory" of writing.

The Sun Also Rises

The most renowned and wittiest of Oscar Wilde's comedies, The Importance of Being Earnest ridicules Victorian sensibilities and is still strikingly relevant to this day. This full-cast audio adaptation featuring Tim Brooke-Taylor as Lady Bracknell is unique yet at the same time reassuringly familiar, with wonderful performances from the Offstage Theatre Group. The play itself is the story of two single gentlemen who have taken to bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives. John 'Jack' Worthing has invented a brother, Earnest, whom he uses as an excuse to leave his dull life behind to visit Gwendolyn Fairfax. When learning of this subterfuge, Algernon 'Algy' Montcrieff decides to take the name Earnest when visiting Jack Worthing's young and beautiful ward, Cecily Cardew. The pair struggle to keep up with their own stories and their adventures in romance begin to go awry when they end up together in the country. This leads to a tale of deception and disguise that becomes more and more tangled as the play goes on.

The Importance of Being Earnest

This short biography of William Shakespeare by world famous writer Bill Bryson brims with the author’s inimitable wit and intelligence. Includes an exclusive Q&A session with the author. Shakespeare’s life, despite the scrutiny of generations of biographers and scholars, is still a thicket of myths and traditions, some preposterous, some conflicting, arranged around the few scant facts known about the Bard – from his birth in Stratford to the bequest of his second best bed to his wife when he died. Following his international bestsellers ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ and ‘The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid’, Bill Bryson has written a short biography of William Shakespeare for the Eminent Lives series – which seeks to pair great subjects with writers known for their strong sensibilities and sharp, lively points of view.

Shakespeare

Mr and Mrs Twit are not very nice. In fact they're extremely nasty. They're nasty to each other, and they're VILE to everyone else. They hold a family of monkeys hostage in a cage and force them to stand on their heads. ALL THE TIME. We told you they weren't very nice. Can the monkeys find a way to show those vicious Twits what for? Mischievously adapted from Roald Dahl's story, acclaimed playwright Enda Walsh turns The Twits upside down and brings this revolting revolution to the stage. First performed at the Royal Court Theatre in April 2015.

Roald Dahl's The Twits (NHB Modern Plays)

FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY The World’s Leading Center for Shakespeare Studies The Folger Shakespeare Library, home to the world’s largest Shakespeare collection, brings Othello to life with this new full-length, full-cast dramatic recording of its definitive Folger Edition. In Othello, Shakespeare creates powerful drama from a marriage between the exotic Moor Othello and the Venetian lady Desdemona. Shakespeare builds many differences into his hero and heroine, including race, age, and cultural background. Yet most audiences believe the couple’s strong love would overcome these differences were it not for Iago, who sets out to destroy Othello. This new full-cast recording—based on the most respected edition of Shakespeare’s classic—expertly produced by the Folger Theatre, is perfect for students, teachers, and the everyday listener.

Folger Shakespeare Library Presents

Othello

How different would the world have looked had the Nazis been the first to build an atomic bomb? Werner Heisenberg, one of Hitler's lead nuclear scientists, famously and mysteriously met in Copenhagen with his colleague and mentor, Niels Bohr, one of the founders of the Manhattan Project. Michael Frayn's Tony Award®-winning drama imagines their reunion. Joined by Niels' wife, Margrethe, these three brilliant minds converge for an encounter of atomic proportions. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Alfred Molina as Niels Bohr Shannon Cochran as Margrethe Bohr David Krumholtz as Werner Heisenberg Directed by Martin Jarvis. Recorded in Los Angeles before a live audience at The James Bridges Theater, UCLA in November, 2011. Copenhagen is part of L.A. Theatre Works' Relativity Series featuring science-themed plays. Major funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to enhance public understanding of science and technology in the modern world.

Copenhagen

Nora has everything a young housewife could want: beautiful children, an adoring husband, and a bright future. But when a carelessly buried secret rises from the past, Nora's well-calibrated domestic ideal starts to crumble. Blackmail and innocence, love and hypocrisy, collide in one of the most celebrated plays in theatre history. Translated by Rolf Fjelde. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Calista Flockhart as Nora Helmer Tony Abatemarco as Dr. Rank Tim DeKay as Torvald Helmer Jeannie Elias as Anne-Marie/Helene Gregory Itzin as Nils Krogstad JoBeth Williams as Mrs. Linde Directed by Rosalind Ayres. Recorded in Los Angeles before a live audience at The James Bridges Theater, UCLA in September of 2011.

A Doll House

Celebrate the incredible journey of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's outrageously funny, blazingly forthright Fleabag, from fringe theatre hit to international cultural phenomenon, in this special edition – featuring the original playscript, never-before-seen colour photos, and exclusive bonus content by Phoebe, director Vicky Jones and key members of the creative team. In 2013, Fleabag made its debut as a one-woman show in sixty-seater venue the Big Belly, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's Underbelly. It was an immediate hit, going on to enjoy two runs at London's Soho Theatre, national and international tours, whilst picking up prizes including Critics' Circle, The Stage, Fringe First and two Off West End Theatre Awards, plus an Olivier Award nomination. The 2016 TV adaptation propelled Fleabag and Phoebe to worldwide fame, earning critical acclaim and further accolades including Writers' Guild, Royal Television Society and BAFTA Television Awards. A second series followed in 2019, winning an amazing six Emmy Awards (including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series), along with a sold-out run of the original play in New York. This special edition of the play is released alongside Fleabag's first West End run at Wyndham's Theatre, London. It is introduced by Deborah Frances-White, stand-up comedian, writer and host of The Guilty Feminist podcast.

Fleabag: The Special Edition

Initially banned in France by King Louis XIV, Molière's celebrated social satire Tartuffe exposes hypocrisy in the Catholic Church. When a pious fraud worms his way into a wealthy family and manipulates the patriarch into giving up his fortune, it's up to his family to expose the truth before they end up in the poorhouse! Translated by Richard Wilbur. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance starring: Brian Bedford as Tartuffe JB Blanc as M. Loyal and Officer Daniel Blinkoff as Damis Gia Carides as Dorine Jane Carr as Mme. Pernelle John de Lancie as Cleante Martin Jarvis as Orgon Alex Kingston as Elmire Matthew Rhys as Valere Sarah Zimmerman as Mariane Directed by Dakin Matthews. Recordedbefore a live audience at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood in June of 2010. Lead funding for Tartuffe was made possible with support from the Sidney E. Frank Foundation.

Tartuffe

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare between 1599 and 1602. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet exacts on his uncle Claudius for murdering King Hamlet, who is Claudius's brother and Prince Hamlet's father, and then succeeding to the throne and taking as his wife Gertrude, the old king's widow and Prince Hamlet's mother. The play vividly portrays both true and feigned madness—from overwhelming grief to seething rage - and explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful and influential tragedies in English literature, with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others." The play was one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime and still ranks among his most-performed, topping the Royal Shakespeare Company's performance list since 1879. It has inspired writers from Goethe and Dickens to Joyce and Murdoch, and has been described as "the world's most filmed story after Cinderella". Shakespeare based Hamlet on the legend of Amleth, preserved by 13th-century chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum as subsequently retold by 16th-century scholar François de Belleforest. He may also have drawn on or perhaps written an earlier (hypothetical) Elizabethan play known today as the Ur-Hamlet. He almost certainly created the title role for Richard Burbage, the leading tragedian of Shakespeare's time. In the 400 years since, the role has been performed by highly acclaimed actors from each successive age. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, the authorship of some of which is uncertain. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith.Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613 at age 49, where he died three years later. Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the 16th century. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights. Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the 19th century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry". In the 20th century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.

Infamously known as the cursed Scottish play, Macbeth is perhaps Shakespeare's darkest tragedy. When General Macbeth is foretold by three witches that he will one day be King of Scotland, Lady Macbeth convinces him to get rid of anyone who could stand in his way - including committing regicide. As Macbeth ascends to the throne through bloody murder, he becomes a tyrant consumed by fear and paranoia. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: James Marsters as Macbeth Joanne Whalley as Lady Macbeth Josh Cooke as Banquo and others JD Cullum as Macduff and Second Murderer Dan Donohue as Ross Jeannie Elias as Second Witch and others Chuma Gault as Lennox and Servant Jon Matthews as Malcolm Alan Shearman as Angus and others André Sogliuzzo as Donalbain, Third Witch and others Kate Steele as Lady Macduff, First Witch and Apparition Kristoffer Tabori as Duncan and others Directed by Martin Jarvis. Sound effects by Tony Palermo. Recorded at the Invisible Studios, West Hollywood.

The Way of the Spirits – Shinto: From the Self to the Sacred In this work, the reader is guided on a fascinating journey through the ancient spirituality that shaped the soul of Japan. More than just a guide to rituals and myths, this book reveals how Shinto transcends shrines and altars to become a way of life — a path that teaches one to see the divine in the changing seasons, in daily work, in family bonds, and even in the imperfection of existence. With depth and clarity, the book unveils the ancestral principles that connect humans, kami (deities), and nature, exploring everything from everyday practices — such as silent offerings at home altars — to vibrant festivals that celebrate the eternal dance between the sacred and the mundane. Discover how the purity of the heart (magokoro) guides ethics, why gratitude is a bridge to the divine, and how the fleeting beauty of wabi-sabi inspires acceptance and peace.

The Way Of The Spirits

A wonderfully charming recording available for the first time as a digital download. Jack Worthing lives in the country with his budding young ward Cecily Cardew and her fusspot governess, Miss Prism. To escape his situation, Jack invents a brother named Ernest who lives in London and frequently needs him. When in London, Jack then poses as Ernest. This elaborate fabrication proceeds smoothly until Jack/Ernest falls in love and his fiancee’s mother discovers there is more – or, rather, less – to him than meets the eye. “It is exquisitely trivial, a delicate bubble of fancy and it has its philosophy; that we should treat all trivial things of life seriously, and all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality.” Oscar Wilde

Victorian Classic

An adaptation for the stage of Jacqueline Wilson's popular novel. Ten-year-old Andy used to live happily at Mulberry Cottage with her family: Mum, Dad, and Radish the rabbit, who lives in Andy's pocket and shares all her secrets. But then it all went wrong: Mum went to live with Bill, and Dad went off with Carrie. And Andy is expected to shuttle between the two - living out of a suitcase - and come to terms with her strange new families. Vicky Ireland's stage adaptation of The Suitcase Kid was first staged at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, in 2007. Seen all over the country, this resourceful dramatisation is suitable for young actors as well as young audiences. Vicky Ireland has provided production notes to indicate how the play can be staged even with minimal resources - plus a lot of ingenuity!

The Suitcase Kid

A young woman finds herself washed up back home on the Scottish archipelago of Orkney, trying to rebuild her life after a decade of addiction. The life she has left behind in London, with all its intoxicating temptations, has pushed her to the point of destruction. Now there is wildness of a different form – an alluring wilderness that she must learn to navigate. Speaking to the impact of isolation and loneliness and – ultimately – the resilience of people, Amy Liptrot's bestselling memoir The Outrun has been adapted for the stage by Stef Smith. Directed by Vicky Featherstone, and co-produced by The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and Edinburgh International Festival, it premiered at the 2024 Festival. Amy Liptrot's The Outrun was a Sunday Times bestseller, BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week, won the Wainwright Prize and the PEN Ackerley Prize, and was shortlisted for the Wellcome and Ondaatje Prizes. 'One of Scotland's boldest chroniclers of contemporary women's lives' The Stage on Stef Smith 'A lyrical, brave memoir… compelling' Guardian on The Outrun

The Outrun

After the Fall Miller drew on his own life to tell the story of Quentin, who's haunted by a disastrous affair with a needy sex symbol - a character said to be based on Marilyn Monroe. All My Sons Julie Harris stars in Miller's classic about a prosperous family with tragic secrets. Broken Glass Set in 1938, Sylvia Gellburg mysteriously loses her ability to walk after hearing about Kristallnacht in Nazi Germany. The Crucible Stacy Keach and Richard Dreyfuss lead an all-star cast in Miller's searing play about witchcraft that famously mirrors the anti-Communist hysteria that held the United States in its grip. Death of a Salesman Willy Loman (Stacy Keach) is the iconic traveling salesman, whose family is torn apart by his desperate obsession with greatness. Incident at Vichy In Nazi-occupied France, nine men are detained under a shadowy pretext and face a terrifying fate. The Man Who Had All the Luck An early Miller gem about the random nature of fate The Price Two long estranged brothers reunite as they sell off an attic full of furniture, their last link to a family and a world that no longer exist. The Ride Down Mt. Morgan Brian Cox stars as Lyman Felt, who's managed to keep his two wives unaware of each other's existence until they meet in Lyman's hospital room. A View from the Bridge Longshoreman Eddie Carbone's devotion to his niece Catherine turns into a dangerous obsession.

The Arthur Miller Collection (Unabridged)

The fantasy worlds of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass come to life in these audio theatre presentations with music and sound effects. Featuring ATC Seneca Award Nominee for Best Actress Georgia Lee Schultz, Golden Voice Barbara Rosenblat, Golden Voice Michael Crouch, John Jarvis, and a full cast. Join Alice on her strange and wonderful journey into the world of the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Humpty Dumpty, and Tiger Lily. Expect the unexpected along the way! A listening treat for the whole family.

Alice in Wonderland and Alice through the Looking-Glass (Dramatized)

Two young people and their dæmons, with everything at stake, find themselves at the centre of a terrifying manhunt. In their care is a tiny child called Lyra Belacqua, and in that child lies the fate of the future. As the waters rise around them, powerful adversaries conspire for mastery of Dust: salvation to some, the source of infinite corruption to others. Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage is set twelve years before the epic His Dark Materials trilogy. Bryony Lavery's stage adaptation was first performed at the Bridge Theatre, London, in December 2021, directed by Nicholas Hytner, whose groundbreaking production of His Dark Materials was a critical and commercial success at the National Theatre. 'Once in a lifetime a children's author emerges who is so extraordinary that the imagination of generations is altered' New Statesman on Philip Pullman

The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage (NHB Modern Plays)

How much would you pay for a painting with nothing on it? Would it be "art"? Marc's best friend Serge has just bought a very expensive-and very white-painting. To Marc, it is a joke, and as battle lines are drawn, old friends use the painting to settle scores. With friendships hanging in the balance, the question becomes: how much is a work of "art" worth? Yasmina Reza's Art won a Tony Award® for Best Play and an Oliver Award for Best Comedy. Translated by Christopher Hampton. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Bob Balaban as Serge Brian Cox as Marc Jeff Perry as Yvan Original music composed by Laura Karpman and Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum. Includes interviews with actors Bob Balaban and Brian Cox, and translator Christopher Hampton. Directed by Peter Levin. Recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in April of 2009.

A tender love story, a serpentine villainess, a glittering setting in London society and a shower of Wildean witticisms are only a few of the reasons this play has enjoyed hugely successful revivals in London and New York. This 1895 drama also seems eerily prescient, as it explores the plight of a promising young politician, desperate to hide a secret in his past. With empathy and wit, Wilde explores the pitfalls of holding public figures to higher standards than the rest of us. Includes an interview with Michael Hackett, the Chair of the Department of Theater at the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to his extensive directorial work for L.A. Theatre Works - which includes plays by Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, and Noel Coward - Michael has directed for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; the Royal Theatre at the Hague; and the Los Angeles Opera. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Rosalind Ayres as Lady Gertrude Chiltern Jacqueline Bisset as Mrs. Cheveley Paul Gutrecht as Vicomte de Nanjac Martin Jarvis as Sir Robert Chiltern Robert Machray as Phipps Miriam Margolyes as Lady Markby Alfred Molina as Lord Goring Jim Norton as Lord Caversham Yeardley Smith as Mabel Chiltern Directed by Michael Hackett.

An Ideal Husband

The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare. Set mainly in Scotland, the play illustrates the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake. It was most likely written during the reign of James I, who had been James VI of Scotland before he succeeded to the English throne in 1603. James was a patron of Shakespeare's acting company, and of all the plays Shakespeare wrote during James's reign, Macbeth most clearly reflects the playwright's relationship with the sovereign. Macbeth is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy, and tells the story of a brave Scottish general named Macbeth who receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia, and he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler as he is forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion. The bloodbath and consequent civil war swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of arrogance, madness, and death.

Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1606. This is a classic audiobook recording read by Sir Anthony Quayle, Robert Hardy and other cast members. Promised a golden future as ruler of Scotland by three sinister witches, Macbeth murders the king to ensure his ambitions come true. But he soon learns the meaning of terror – killing once, he must kill again and again, and the dead return to haunt him. A story of war, witchcraft and bloodshed, Macbeth also depicts the relationship between husbands and wives, and the risks they are prepared to take to achieve their desires.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatises the revenge Prince Hamlet is instructed to exact on his uncle Claudius. Claudius had murdered his own brother, Hamlet's father King Hamlet, and subsequently seized the throne, marrying his deceased brother's widow, Hamlet's mother Gertrude. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful and influential tragedies in English literature, with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others." The play seems to have been one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime and still ranks among his most-performed. It has inspired writers from Goethe and Dickens to Joyce and Murdoch, and has been described as "the world's most filmed story after Cinderella".The protagonist of Hamlet is Prince Hamlet of Denmark, son of the recently deceased King Hamlet, and nephew of King Claudius, his father's brother and successor. Claudius hastily married King Hamlet's widow, Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, and took the throne for himself. Denmark has a long-standing feud with neighboring Norway, which culminated when King Hamlet slew King Fortinbras of Norway in a climactic battle years ago. Although Denmark defeated Norway, and the Norwegian throne fell to King Fortinbras's infirm brother, Denmark fears that an invasion led by the dead Norwegian king's son, Prince Fortinbras, is imminent. The play opens on a cold night on the ramparts of Elsinore, the Danish royal castle. The sentries Bernardo and Marcellus and Hamlet's friend Horatio encounter a ghost that looks like the late King Hamlet. They vow to tell Prince Hamlet what they have witnessed.

In this L.A. Theatre Works original commission, playwright Jeanne Sakata has created a new audio adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved classic. Mary Lennox is an orphaned 10-year-old who is sent to live with her uncle in his country house on the moors. Her new life is almost unbearable, but when she hears stories of the estate's mysterious, abandoned garden she's determined to discover its secrets. Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood in June 2024. Directed by Jessica Kubzansky Producing Director: Susan Albert Loewenberg An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast recording, starring: Jonathan Charles as Colin Craven, British Army Officer Shannon Cochran as Mrs. Medlock, Regina Crawford, Susan Sowerby Adhir Kalyan as Archibald Craven, Servant Ramji Alma Marian as Mary Lennox Cerris Morgan-Moyer as Martha Sowerby, Rose Lennox, Lily Craven and second Crawford Child Alastair James Murden as Dickon Sowerby, Captain Lennox, and first Crawford Child Ian Ogilvy as Ben Weatherstaff, Doctor, Innskeeper, British Army Officer, Pastor Edward Crawford Lina Patel as Ayah Lakshmi Senior Producer: Anna Lyse Erikson Technical Producer: Mark Holden Recorded and edited by Neil Wogenson at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood Designed and Mixed by: Charles Carroll Assistant Designer: Chloe Foster Foley Artist: Mark Holden Foley Engineer: Chloe Foster Senior Radio Producer: Ronn Lipkin Cultural Consultant: Lina Patel

The Secret Garden

A delightful British comedy from the wonderful world of P.G. Wodehouse! The perpetually misguided Bertie finds himself embroiled in a madcap adventure sparked by the abrupt departure of his beloved Jeeves. Adapted by Mark Richard. An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring: Gregory Cooke as Chuffy Kenneth Danziger as Sergeant Voules Alastair Duncan as Brinkley/Seabury Dominic Keating as Constable Dobson Richard Riordan as J. Washburn Stoker Guy Siner as Sir Roderick Glossop Simon Templeman as Bertie Jennifer Tilly as Pauline Stoker Paxton Whitehead as Jeeves Directed by Rosalind Ayres. Recorded before a live audience at the DoubleTree Suites, Santa Monica in April of 1998.

Thank You Jeeves

Experience the world of Nora Helmer in 'A Doll's House' by Henrik Ibsen, masterfully brought to life in this unabridged version by the talented Robin LaRee Berry. Immerse yourself in the gripping tale of love, duty, and the pursuit of independence that resonates as much today as it did over a century ago. Our high-quality production process ensures a crisp and clear voice, providing you with an enjoyable listening experience. Each sentence, each word, is carefully edited for clarity and precision. Robin's masterful narration breathes new life into Ibsen's iconic characters, taking you on a journey into the depth of their hopes, their fears, and their dreams. It is a testament to her artistry that Robin captures the essence of each character, delivering performances that are as engaging as they are emotionally impactful. No matter where you are - at home, on the commute, or taking a break - 'A Doll's House' is an audiobook that will engage your senses and touch your soul. Don't miss this opportunity to witness a timeless classic in a new light.

A Doll's House

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan. Inspired by a youthful romance Fitzgerald had with socialite Ginevra King, and the riotous parties he attended on Long Island's North Shore in 1922. During World War II, the novel experienced an abrupt surge in popularity when the Council on Books in Wartime distributed free copies to American soldiers serving overseas. This new-found popularity launched a critical and scholarly re-examination, and the work soon became a core part of most American high school curricula and a part of American popular culture. Numerous stage and film adaptations followed in the subsequent decades. Gatsby continues to attract popular and scholarly attention. Contemporary scholars emphasize the novel's treatment of social class, inherited versus self-made wealth, race, and environmentalism, and its cynical attitude towards the American dream. The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be a literary masterwork and a contender for the title of the Great American Novel. Narrated by Michael Ward.

The Great Gatsby

The Metamorphosis (German: Die Verwandlung) is a novella written by Franz Kafka which was first published in 1915. One of Kafka's best-known works, The Metamorphosis tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa who wakes one morning to find himself inexplicably transformed into a huge insect and subsequently struggling to adjust to this new condition...

Metamorphosis (Illustrated)

García Lorca's drama about the shattering effects of emotional repression on a family of cloistered daughters, in a version by playwright Rona Munro for the critically acclaimed Shared Experience Theatre Company. When Bernarda's husband dies, she locks all the doors and windows. She tells her grown-up daughers to sew and be silent. 'There are eight years of mourning ahead of us. While it lasts not even the wind will get into this house.' But locks can't hold back the growing tide of desire... Rona Munro's version of The House of Bernarda Alba was first staged by Shared Experience Theatre Company at Salisbury Playhouse in March 1999 before a UK tour.

NHB Classic Plays

The House of Bernarda Alba

"The Giaour" is a narrative poem written by George Byron in 1813. The poem is set in the time of Muslim rule. The story is told from three different points of view. It is a tale of love, revenge and repentance. Almost it is fragmented, full of adventure and courage that leads a slave to fight a Lord.

The Giaour

Shakespeare combined his love of theater with Greek mythology and the supernatural to create what is arguably his most playfully imaginative work. From love potions to bizarre transformations to the unforgettable play-within-a-play, A Midsummer Night's Dream is a non-stop delight, and remains one of the milestones of the Bard's canon. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Tara Barr as Hermia Erin Bennett as Moth and Second Fairy Jamie Bamber as Oberon Janine Barris as Peaseblossom and First Fairy Brendan Bradley as Lysander Chris Butler as Theseus Kyle Colerider-Krugh as Egeus and Robin Starveling Sue Cremin as Hippolyta Hector Elizondo as Peter Quince Logan Fahey as Francis Flute Glenne Headley as Titania Simon Helberg as Demetrius Stacy Keach as Nick Bottom David Krumholtz as Puck Danny Mann as Snug Jon Matthews as Cobweb and Mustardseed Kira Sternbach as Helena André Sogliuzzo as Philostrate and Tom Snout Directed by Martin Jarvis.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

What is that, trailing your footsteps, breathing softly down your neck? Rediscover the magic and wonder of the original Grimm Tales, retold by master-storyteller Philip Pullman. In this stage version by Philip Wilson, you'll meet the familiar characters – Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel – and some unexpected ones too, such as Hans-My-Hedgehog, the Goose Girl at the Spring and the remarkable Thousandfurs. Full of deliciously dark twists and turns, the tales come to life in all their glittering, macabre brilliance – a delight for children and adults alike. These Grimm Tales were first performed as immersive storytelling experiences underneath Shoreditch Town Hall, London, in 2014, and Bargehouse on the South Bank in 2015. They also offer plentiful opportunities for youth theatres, schools and amateur companies looking for a vivid new version of the classic fairytales. 'Beautifully done, and thrilling to stumble upon... atmospheric to the point of inspiring awe' - Telegraph 'A magic box of glittering surprises' - The Times

Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales (NHB Modern Plays)

'Penguin's fine pandemic audio festival delivers hours of laughs from comedy's most creative talents.' - The Observer 'An absolutely cracking lineup' - The Guardian 'A marvellous wheeze, almost like attending a private stand-up gig' - The I Brought to you by Penguin. The show has been called off. The show must go on.... Penguin is proud to bring you its very own audio comedy festival, featuring acts who would have performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2020, developed in association with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. Containing nearly eight hours of hilarious original material from some of the finest comedians on the circuit, listeners can laugh along as Jordan Brookes (Winner of Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2019) takes you on a disastrous guided meditation session, Sofie Hagen (Comedy Central, Live from the BBC) lifts the lid on her Westlife fan fiction days, and just as Shakespeare did during the plague, Ivo Graham (Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week) tucks into his version of King Lear during the lockdown. Featuring household names, through to debut acts, as well as being compered by Scotland's very own Fern Brady (8 Out of 10 Cats, The News Quiz), Edinburgh Unlocked is the unmissable comedy festival that you can attend without leaving your living room. Full Cast: Ivo Graham, Sofie Hagen, Fern Brady, Dane Baptiste, Jessie & Bebe Cave, Jordan Brookes, Lou Sanders, John Kearns, Jen Brister, Christopher Bliss, Michelle de Swarte, Sheeps, Glamrou, Giants (Fjord), Crystal Rasmussen, Jen Brister, Chloe Petts, Anna & Helen, Kemah Bob, Leo Reich, Jake Farrell, Yuriko Kotani, SHELF, Mo Omar. Please note this contains adult themes and content. ©2020 Penguin Audio (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Edinburgh Unlocked

Shakespeare's classic tragedy of evil magic, destiny and regicide in 16th century Scotland. Often known as 'The Scottish Play', due to a long-standing traditional superstition about naming the play.

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