Sir Ian McKellen, fresh from his performance as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings is Prospero, and heads a strong cast in Shakespeare's last great play. The wronged duke raises a tempest to shipwreck his old opponents on his island so that he can ensure justice is done. With Emillia Fox as Miranda, Scott Handy in the pivotal role of the sprite Ariel and Ben Owukwe as Caliban, this new production, directed by John Tydeman, balance the magic and the earthiness with music playing a key role.
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Sir Ian McKellen, fresh from his performance as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings is Prospero, and heads a strong cast in Shakespeare's last great play.
From AudioFile
THE TEMPEST opens with the titular violent storm at sea, complete with booming thunder, driving rain, and the panicked shouts of people onboard a ship about to be wrecked. It's just one of the ways that the sound medium is used to especially good effect throughout the production. Seagulls cry, soothing lute music plays, and the listener can easily imagine the setting. Sir Ian McKellen wields his commanding voice masterfully as the wizard Prospero reigns over his island dukedom, orchestrating events. The other performers are also compelling, particularly Scott Handy who, as the spirit Ariel, is called upon to sing as well as act. It's a magical production, enhanced (but not overshadowed) by McKellen's star power. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
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William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The facts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. He was one of eight children born to John Shakespeare, a merchant of some standing in his community. William probably went to the King's New School in Stratford, but he had no university education. In November 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, who was pregnant with their first child, Susanna. She was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, a boy, Hamnet ( who would die at age eleven), and a girl, Judith, were born in 1585. By 1592 Shakespeare had gone to London working as an actor and already known as a playwright. A rival dramatist, Robert Greene, referred to him as "an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers." Shakespeare became a principal shareholder and playwright of the successful acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later under James I, called the King's Men). In 1599 the Lord Chamberlain's Men built and occupied the Globe Theater in Southwark near the Thames River. Here many of Shakespeare's plays were performed by the most famous actors of his time, including Richard Burbage, Will Kempe, and Robert Armin. In addition to his 37 plays, Shakespeare had a hand in others, including Sir Thomas More and The Two Noble Kinsmen, and he wrote poems, including Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. His 154 sonnets were published, probably without his authorization, in 1609. In 1611 or 1612 he gave up his lodgings in London and devoted more and more time to retirement in Stratford, though he continued writing such plays as The Tempest and Henry VII until about 1613. He died on April 23 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford. No collected edition of his plays was published during his life-time, but in 1623 two members of his acting company, John Heminges and Henry Condell, put together the great collection now called the First Folio.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Magical Performances,
By
This review is from: The Tempest (Naxos AudioBooks) (Audio CD)
My sons (ages 17, 14, 12, and 10) love this. Without even realizing it, they have memorized whole parts of the play!
When you listen, you can close your eyes and see the action.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than a tempest in a teacup,
By smoky jones "smoky jones" (unseelie court) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Tempest (Naxos AudioBooks) (Audio CD)
The usual quality expected from Naxos - excellent sound recording with special effects - would recommend to anyone especially as good CD recordings of Shakespeare seem difficult to find for some reason.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another good audiobook from Naxos,
By
This review is from: The Tempest (Naxos AudioBooks) (Audio CD)
As I have come to expect Naxos Audiobooks delivers another great performance from their Shakespeare series.
Sir Ian McKellan and the rest of the cast bring us a magical performance of one of Shakespeares best plays. Comes Hgihly Recommended!
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