Hamlet: A BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation

by William Shakespeare Narrated by Full Cast, Jamie Parker

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

The essential revenge story from the master of the stage, Hamlet tells the tale of a Danish prince as he begins to unravel, losing track of what's real and what's not. This timeless classic will always be a warning against the quest for vengeance by showing the repercussions of exactly that.

Jamie Parker stars as the Prince of Denmark in this brand new BBC Radio 4 full-cast production.

At the Castle of Elsinore in Denmark, the court is uneasy. The king of Denmark has recently died and the throne has been claimed by the king's brother, Claudius.

Prince Hamlet, still in mourning for his father, distrusts Claudius and believes that what has happened at the court 'cannot come to good'. The ghost of his father has told him he was murdered by Claudius. Can it be true? He arranges for a troupe of players to emulate such a murder before the court, in the hope that the truth will out.

As circumstances play out, and Hamlet is variously counselled and challenged by the King and Queen, Laertes, Polonius, Ophelia, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the fabric of the court starts to unravel. Soon Hamlet's indecision leads to a series of tragic events - and to what end?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for William Shakespeare: Complete Works:“A feast of literary and historical information.” -The Wall Street Journal

MAY 2012 - AudioFile

This American-accented HAMLET is a churning, turbulent production with many fine moments resulting from its fast pace. This energy may inevitably lead to a few missed opportunities for quiet and meditation (or for the listener to have a respite), but the overall effect is satisfying. The greatest range is shown by Emily Swallow as Ophelia. Stacy Keach is also excellent—imposing, chilling, and nuanced as the ghost. Josh Stamberg plays Hamlet as tormented and confrontational. One of his finest touches enhances the outset of the recorder scene with restraint and calm. Listeners who follow along with a text of the play will best keep up with the rapid pace. G.H. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2019-07-13
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

The timeless tale of the young and disaffected Danish prince who is pushed to avenge his father's untimely murder at the hands of his brother unfolds with straightforward briskness. Shakespeare's text has been liberally but judiciously cut, staying true to the thematic meaning while dispensing with longer speeches (with the notable exception of the renowned "to be or not to be" soliloquy) and intermediary dialogues. Some of the more obscure language has been modernized, with a glossary of terms provided at the end; despite these efforts, readers wholly unfamiliar with the story might struggle with independent interpretation. Where this adaptation mainly excels is in its art, especially as the play builds to its tensely wrought final act. Illustrator Kumar (World War Two, 2015, etc.) pairs richly detailed interiors and exteriors with painstakingly rendered characters, each easily distinguished from their fellows through costume, hairstyle, and bearing. Human figures are generally depicted in bust or three-quarter shots, making the larger panels of full figures all the more striking. Heavily scored lines of ink form shadows, lending the otherwise bright pages a gritty air. All characters are white.

A solid introduction for budding lovers of the Bard. (biography of Shakespeare, dramatis personae, glossary) (Graphic novel. 12-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169158236
Publisher:	Random House UK
Publication date:	10/16/2014
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

Act 1 Scene 1 running scene 1
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Hamlet"
by .
Copyright © 2011 William Shakespeare.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Young Readers Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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