Classic Plays

Internationally acclaimed actor and Tony Award winner, Alan Cumming performs Shakespeare’s most important and beloved royal speeches, including "To be or not to be", "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow", "Now is the winter of our discontent", "O that this too sullied flesh would melt" and more. All the speeches were personally chosen by Cumming. Michael Boyd adds, "Cumming brings to Shakespeare the lyricism of a genuine singer, the sharp edge of a wicked comic, and the embodied intelligence of a major actor."

The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on February 14th 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personæ to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage, and the resulting satire of Victorian ways. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular play.

No existe en la historia de la literatura una parábola más sencilla y luminosa que la de Sherezada y Sahrigar para explicar la razón de ser de la ficción en la vida de los seres humanos. Para Sherezada contar cuentos que capturen la atención del Rey es cuestión de vida o muerte. Si Sahrigar se desinteresa o se aburre de sus historias, será entregada al verdugo con las primeras luces del alba. Ese peligro mortal aguza su fantasía y la lleva, sin saberlo, a descubrir que el mundo de la ficción es, como el mundo real, uno, diverso e irrompible.

Greybeards at Play is a short collection of humorous poetry by celebrated British writer and social commentator, Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936). Published in 1900, it was Chesterton's first publication. These rhymes and sketches spin witty lyrics around themes such as aestheticism, the philosopher's love of nature, and ill-directed altruism, in true Chestertonian style.

This is a full-cast, unabridged performance with comprehensive commentary and analysis, enabling any student to fully understand and appreciate the play. Judge for yourself whether Lear is "a man more sinned against than sinning" in this moral tale that pits wisdom and age against ambition and youth. Experience and examine the power of Shakespeare's most cruel and violent tragedy.

A Dama do Cachorrinho é uma obra de Anton Tchekhov que narra a história de um breve, mas intenso, caso de amor entre Dmitri Gurov, um homem casado e insatisfeito com sua vida, e Anna Sergeyevna, uma jovem mulher que ele conhece durante suas férias em Yalta. Anna é conhecida como "a dama do cachorrinho" porque sempre é vista acompanhada de seu pequeno cachorro. A princípio, o relacionamento é visto por Gurov como uma aventura passageira, mas, à medida que eles se conhecem mais profundamente, ele percebe que seus sentimentos por Anna são mais profundos do que esperava.

In this, Shakespeare's last play, the dark themes of punishment and loss give way to those of forgiveness and new beginnings. The plot involves a shipwreck on a fantastic island where friends reunite, love blooms, and magic reigns.

All children love this traditional rhyme, and singing along will help to develop number skills. Popular rhymes make this book a must for every child.

Rediscover the greatest love poetry ever written. Shakespeare’s sonnets are some of the nation’s favourite lines of verse, but the Elizabethan language can make it difficult to really understand them. Many guides offer to clarify the meaning, but lose the magic of the words by explaining them away. James Anthony has done something boldly different.

Shakespeare’s darkest psychological thriller. Three witches tell the Scottish General Macbeth that he will be king of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth kills the king, becomes the new king and kills more people out of paranoia. Civil war erupts to overthrow Macbeth, resulting in more death.

Bassiano, a noble Venetian, hopes to woo the beautiful heiress Portia. However, he requires financial assistance from his friend Antonio. Antonio agrees, but he, in turn, must borrow from the Jewish moneylender Shylock. As recourse for past ills, Shylock stipulates that the forfeit on the loan must be a pound of Antonio’s flesh. In the most renowned onstage law scene of all time, Portia proves herself one of Shakespeare’s most cunning heroines, disguising herself as a lawyer and vanquishing Shylock’s claims....

In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the boy hunter Adonis is the willing lover of Venus, the goddess of love, and dies accidentally. Shakespeare has Adonis reject Venus. Venus endlessly argues for making love, with Adonis uttering petulant protests.

King Richard II rules England in a wasteful and short-sighted way, spending money unwisely and selecting his counsellors foolishly. His manner ostracises him from his people and his country and it’s not long before both commoners and noblemen feel Richard has gone too far. When Richard seizes land that rightfully belongs to his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, Bolingbroke retaliates by invading England while Richard is at war in Ireland. More popular with the commoners, Henry is eventually crowned King Henry IV.

Award-winning drama from SmartPass. The play is unabridged, with guided description to set the scene and fill in visual moments.

William Shakespeare, long hailed as history's greatest dramatic writer, has been lauded for his mastery of poetic expression, his insight into the human condition, and his deep exploration into the psyche and motivations of his characters.

Award-winning narrator Mike Vendetti recites "Sonnet 18" by William Shakespeare.

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, encounters his father's ghost. When he learns that his uncle, now King and married to his mother, was responsible for the death of his royal father, he sets out to avenge the murder.

The action of this, the most famous play of the great English poet and playwright William Shakespeare, takes place in Elsinore, shortly after the death of the King of Denmark. Heartbroken, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, suffers greatly over the death of his beloved father and the sudden remarriage of his mother, Queen Gertrude. A terrible ghost of his father, in full military dress, tells him a terrible secret: that the king did not die a natural death, but was killed by the hand of his brother Claudius, who became the current king.

Laughter, happiness, romance, and just a bit of deception and intrigue - these are what make up Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. Though Shakespeare is probably most well-known for the dramatic tragedies that have defined the genre for centuries, his comedies are just as well beloved and performed in theaters across the globe. Shakespearean comedies are defined by their humorous writing, their satire, the often-tangled romances, disguises and deceptions, and a thoughtful “fool” who is often the bearer of the smartest lines in the plays.

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's greatest and darkest plays. With this new guide, you will have an even greater understanding of the play. Included in this guide: a biography of author William Shakespeare, a look at the play's context, its literary elements, detailed scene summaries, character analysis, and much more. This is the definitive guide to Macbeth, concise, easy to understand, and guaranteed to add to your enjoyment of this classic play.