Much Ado About Nothing (Arkangel Shakespeare) [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

William Shakespeare (Author), Samuel West (Narrator), Amanda Root (Narrator), Arkangel Cast (Narrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1932219250 | ISBN-13: 978-1932219258 | Publication Date: November 30, 2005 | Edition: Unabridged

This sparkling comedy of manners revolves around the amorous adventures of two couples, gentle Claudio and Hero, who want to marry, and the warring Beatrice and Benedick, who think they don't. This witty romp is one of Shakespeare's best-loved comedies. Performed by Samuel West, Amanda Root, and the Arkangel cast.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America; Unabridged edition (November 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932219250
• ISBN-13: 978-1932219258
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #729,844 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > Books on CD > Authors, A-Z > ( S ) > Shakespeare, William

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, worth listening to, but check out the BBC version, February 20, 2009

By 

C. McCloskey "Auntie C" (Bawlmer, Merlin, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Much Ado About Nothing (Arkangel Shakespeare) (Audio CD)

I like the Arkangel 'Much Ado' in general, but actually prefer the BBC version with David Tennant (available as a download). Why? For DT, of course. Both the actor playing Benedick here and DT whirl through all the witty banter at the beginning. However, I was thoroughly convinced at Benedick's change of heart in the DT version, where he is not just helping Beatrice out of duty or self-interest, but because he genuinely feels her pain and sees Hero's distress from her point of view. It is in the second half of the play where Tennant brings creates a nuanced character that I haven't see from any other actor. One would expect that the visuals available on stage or film would assist with this, but I didn't expect to be able to hear it on an audio book.

However, that isn't this version. This one is mighty fine and I enjoyed it tremendously. Enjoy!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent dramatization, May 30, 2006

By 

Dude's Mom (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Much Ado About Nothing (Arkangel Shakespeare) (Audio CD)

I have been using this CD with my 9th grade literature class for the last two weeks. The actors use clear diction and their presentation of the language helps the students that are struggling to a better understanding of the text. Bryan Pringle's Dogberry is a real gem.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars delightful, clear production of a witty, fun play, November 8, 2007

By 

Magic Man (Brigadoon) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Much Ado About Nothing (Arkangel Shakespeare) (Audio CD)

This fully dramatized production of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is delightful. Shakespeare's wit comes through in full force (especially in the Beatrice-Benedick storyline): I love that the words from hundreds of years ago can evoke my laughter today. This play is immensely fun and the performance is excellent.

The enunciation of the lines is clear and the voices of the different characters are distinct, but - not being a Shakespeare expert - I found it invaluable to read over the synopsis included in the liner notes, since the audio performance does not include any stage directions or character identification (as in "Beatrice:" and "Claudio:").* With that small help, however, my enjoyment was unhampered.

I highly recommend this dramatization!

* Indulgent tangent: The occasional confusion resulting from a lack of character identification reminded me of a wonderfully clever passage in Jasper Fforde's Lost in a Good Book (the sequel to The Eyre Affair) in which a fictional character hiding out in the real world is revealed due to his inability to follow "undedicated" dialogue (i.e., dialogue without explicit attribution as to who is speaking). Fforde's books are wonderful, silly fun for the Shakespeare and other literature lover; the passage I refer to is on page 360-361 of the paperback edition.