Description"Things like crowns had a troublesome effect on clever folks; it was best to leave all the reigning to the kind of people whose eyebrows met in the middle." Three witches gathered on a lonely heath. A king has been cruelly murdered, his throne usurped by his ambitious cousin. A child heir and the crown of the kingdom are both missing. The omens are not auspicious for the new incumbent, for whom ascending this tainted throne is a more complicated affair than you might imagine - particularly when the blood on your hands just won't wash off, and you're facing a future with knives in it.
DescriptionActor William Shaksper of Stratford had little education, never left England, and apparently owned no books. How could he have written the great plays and poetry attributed to him? Journalist Mark Anderson's biography offers tantalizing proof that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, courtier, spendthrift, scholar, traveler, soldier, scoundrel, and writer, was the real "Shakespeare". As Anderson reveals, de Vere lived in Venice during his twenties, often in debt to its moneylenders ( Merchant of Venice ). He led military campaigns against rebellious nobles in Scotland ( Macbeth ). An extramarital affair resulted in fighting between his supporters and rivals ( Romeo and Juliet ). And when de Vere was publicly disgraced, he began using the pen name "Shake-speare" and appealed to Queen Elizabeth I through her favorite form of entertainment: the theater.
DescriptionThere is no finer way to welcome young people (or adults!) to the pleasures of Shakespeare than with these four masterful retellings of the Bard's most beloved plays. Ranging from the pure magic of A Midsummer Night's Dream to the heartbreak of young love in Romeo and Juliet, featuring the spine-tingling tragedy of Macbeth (complete with ghost and witches) and culminating in the laugh-out-loud hijinks of Twelfth Night, this collection features clear, straightforward storytelling combined with the richness of some of Shakespeare's most beloved poetry, all brought to life by over two dozen brilliantly talented actors.
DescriptionThis 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. Debuting on Broadway in 1958, Ages of Man became a worldwide sensation, selling out theaters all over North America, France, and even behind the Iron Curtain. Its selections are divided into Youth, Manhood, and Age, including scenes from such masterpieces as Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and King Lear . This exquisite, Grammy-winning recital is a perfect introduction to Shakespeare for the uninitiated and a thrilling treat for aficionados.
