Books in Classic Drama series

T. S. Eliots Murder in the Cathedral is both a fascinating retelling of the twelfth-century assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket and a compelling call for resistance in the face of intimidation. Written against the backdrop of rising Fascism in twentieth-century Europe, Eliots classic verse play is as relevant now as it ever was. This re-release of the original 1953 recording stars Robert Donat whose commanding performance as the Archbishop, alongside a full cast, is widely celebrated.

Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, agrees to lend Antonio, a Venetian merchant, three thousand ducats so that his friend Bassanio can afford to court his love, Portia. However, Shylock has one condition: should the loan go unpaid, he will be entitled to a pound of Antonios own flesh. Meanwhile in Belmont, according to the terms of her fathers will, Portias many suitors must choose correctly from three caskets. Bassanio arrives at Portias estate and they declare their love for one another before he picks the correct casket. Antonio falls into bad fortune and finds he cannot repay Shylock: a dramatic trial ensues to decide his fate.

Romeo and Juliet's charm and power derived from a romantic setting, youthful innocence and the ardour of the lovers and excitement and drama created by the feud between two families is a perennial favorite; and in this audiobook edition, the wit, tenderness, dramatic variety and poetic beauty continue to work their spell. Read by Michael Sheen and Kate Bekinsale.

Among Shakespeare's plays, "Hamlet" is considered by many his masterpiece. Among actors, the role of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is considered the jewel in the crown of a triumphant theatrical career. Now Kenneth Branagh plays the leading role and co-directs a brillant ensemble performance. Three generations of legendary leading actors, many of whom first assembled for the Oscar-winning film "Henry" V, gather here to perform the rarely heard complete version of the play. This clear, subtly nuanced, stunning dramatization, presented by The Renaissance Theatre Company in association with "Bbc" Broadcasting, features such luminaries as Sir John Gielgud, Derek Jacobi, Emma Thompson and Christopher Ravenscroft. It combines a full cast with stirring music and sound effects to bring this magnificent Shakespearen classic vividly to life. Revealing new riches with each listening, this production of "Hamlet" is an invaluable aid for students, teachers and all true lovers of Shakespeare -- a recording to be treasured for decades to come.

Arthur Millers most famous play, Death of a Salesman, has become a key text in Western literature. This unusually powerful recording, made for radio in 1953, was directed by Elia Kazan who premiered the play. It features Thomas Mitchell and Arthur Kennedy as father and son. Willy, a travelling salesman, based in New York, relentlessly chases material success. As the disappointing nature of his reality crowds in upon him, Willy and his family suffer the tragic cost of his delusions of greatness. A domestic tragedy, a cynical indictment of materialism and the American Dream, and a profoundly moving story of one mans struggle to maintain his dignity in the face of continual adversity Millers play is essential listening.

The play is a pure tragedy about a permanent and quite plain human problem; the problem is as plain and permanent, the tragedy is as proud and pure, as in ŒDIPUS or MACBETH. — G.K. Chesterton, GEORGE BERNARD SHAW Completed in 1893, Shaw was forced to wait nine years before seeing his work on stage—in a private club. Its subject the Lord Chamberlain declared unsuitable for public performance. Mrs. Warren's profession is that of co-owner and operator of a string of brothels, a profession she has learned from the ground up. The tragedy reveals Mrs. Warren’s path to her seemingly successful present and the resulting emotional confrontation with her daughter, who has discovered the truth of her absentee mother’s past. The playwright’s focus, however, is the reality of Mrs. Warren’s story in the lives of thousands of English women who have chosen prostitution over poverty, abuse, hunger, and exploitation and danger in a dead-end factory job. MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION caused a sensation in 1905 when after a public performance in New York, its cast was arrested and the play was forced to close after one performance for violating city obscenity laws. Twenty years later it was finally performed in public in London.