Audiobooks narrated by John Burlinson

This collection contains eight of Shakespeare’s best loved comedies. Each exhibits the vigour, humour, and optimism of the young master before he turned to the gloom and bitterness of the great tragedies. Contents A Midsummer Night’s Dream All’s Well That Ends Well Twelfth Night Much Ado About Nothing The Comedy of Errors As You Like It Measure for Measure The Merchant of Venice Featuring the voices of:Aisling Gray, Alan Weyman, Alexandra Lee Smith, Blaise Doran, Cate Barratt, Catherine Bilson, Claudia Anglade, Dara Brown, David Shears, Denis Daly, Emma Faye, Gary D. MacFadden, Graham Scott, John Burlinson, Josh Innerst, Kendra Murray, Laura Richcreek, Lillian Rachel, Linda Barrans, Mark Crowle-Groves, Marty Krz, PJ Morgan, Roberta Jackson, Ron Altman, Simon Paxton, Susan Iannucci, Tom Saer, and Trisha Rose. Texts kindly provided by playshakespeare.com Songs created and arranged by Alan Weyman and Marty Krz Audio edited by Denis Daly

William Shakespeare (Author), Aisling Gray, Alan Weyman, Alexandra Lee Smith, Blaise Doran, Cate Barratt, Catherine Bilson, Claudia Anglade, Dara Brown, David Shears, Denis Daly, Emma Faye, Gary MacFadden, Graham Scott, John Burlinson, Josh Innerst, Kendra Murray, Laura E. Richcreek, Lillian Rachel, Linda Barrans, Mark Crowle-Groves, Marty Krz, PJ Morgan, Roberta Jackson, Ron Altman, Simon Paxton, Susan Iannucci, Tom Saer, Trisha Rose, a full cast (Narrator)

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As You Like It

Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It are usually regarded as Shakespeare’s crowning achievements in the world of mirth and humor. In this group of plays, written during the playwright’s Second Period (1595–1600), the author depicts chiefly the cheerful, energetic side of life. In As You Like It, a wicked Duke expels his virtuous brother, the lawful ruler, from his domains. The banished Duke takes refuge with his followers in the Forest of Arden, where they live as free a life as did Robin Hood and his merry men. They are presently sought out by the Duke’s daughter Rosalind and her cousin Celia, who have been banished by the usurper. Also among the banished is Orlando, a virtuous young man, who is being pursued by his wicked brother Oliver, pursuant to the orders of the usurping duke. Orlando and Rosalind immediately fall in love, and she, disguised as a boy under the name of Ganymede, makes sport with him throughout the play. Eventually all ends happily – with conversions, repentance and revelations of love. Featuring the voices of Linda Barrans, Blaise Doran, Laura Richcreek, Emma Faye, Claudia Anglade, P J Morgan, Gary MacFadden, Denis Daly, Marty Krz, Dara Brown, Trisha Rose, John Burlinson, and Kendra Murray. Audio edited by Denis Daly Tunes for songs provided by Alan Weyman. The text used for this performance was kindly provided by playshakespeare.com. Production copyright 2024 is held by Voices of Today.

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Blaise Doran, Claudia Anglade, Dara Brown, Denis Daly, Emma Faye, Gary Macfadden, John Burlinson, Kendra Murray, Laura E. Richcreek, Linda Barrans, Marty Krz, Pj Morgan, Trisha Rose (Narrator)

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Twelfth Night

As the generating force of its plot, Twelfth Night uses a device which has since become a staple in comedy: gender confusion. Viola and her twin brother Sebastian, are shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria, a country ruled by the melancholy Duke Orsino. The twins are separated and Viola is led to believe that her brother has perished. She disguises herself as a male under the name of Cesario and makes her way to the ducal court, where Orsino employs her as a messenger, to communicate his love to the reclusive lady, Olivia—who is not willing to return his affection. Olivia is also the target of two other romantic schemes. Her pompous steward, Malvolio, has persuaded himself that Olivia has fallen for him but is too diffident to reveal her passion. Her dissipated uncle, Sir Toby Belch, has plans to set up a match for her with Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a feeble-minded squire. Viola/Cesario falls in love with Orsino and Olivia with Cesario, but all of the parties are obliged to hide their feelings. Having survived the shipwreck, Sebastian now appears on the scene and contracts a secret marriage with Olivia, who believes him to be Cesario. In the final act, Viola reveals her true identity … Featuring Emma Faye as Viola, Kendra Murray as Olivia, Cate Barratt as Sir Toby Belch, Alan Weyman as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Lillian Rachel as Malvolio, Marty Krz as Feste and Laura Richcreek as Orsino. Also featuring the voices of Claudia Anglade, Linda Barrans, PJ Morgan, Denis Daly and John Burlinson. Songs arranged by Alan Weyman and Marty Krz Audio edited by Denis Daly Text kindly provided by playshakespeare.com

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Alan Weyman, Cate Barratt, Claudia Anglade, Denis Daly, Emma Faye, Jennie Litt, John Burlinson, Kendra Murray, Laura E. Richcreek, Lillian Rachel, Linda Barrans, Marty Krz, Pj Morgan, Trisha Rose (Narrator)

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Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing appears to have been written about 1599, shortly before As You Like It and Twelfth Night. The action combines two narrative threads: the spirited comedy of the courtship of Benedick and Beatrice, and the sombre tale of confused love between Hero and Claudio. The first is a creation by Shakespeare and the second appears to have been drawn from an Italian source, either by Bandello or Ariosto. The action takes place in Messina. Eponymous lovers Hero and Claudio seem to be ideally matched and nearly everyone is looking forward to their impending marriage. The odd man out is the sinister Don John, brother and former enemy of Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, but recently restored to the Prince’s favour. Being of a morose and jealous temperament, Don John plots to disrupt the wedding and cause division between the lovers, with the aid of his fellow conspirators, Borachio and Conrade. However, this evil plan is thwarted by an unexpected incursion by the bumbling constables Dogberry and Verges. The young couple are finally reunited, but only after Claudio has first been led to believe that his rejected spouse, Hero, has died of shame and grief. The matching of Beatrice and Benedick, encouraged by some artful chicanery by Hero and Claudio, and marked by many witty and sardonic exchanges of repartee, serves to lighten the texture of the darker elements of the action. Featuring Emma Faye as Hero, Kendra Murray as Beatrice, Dara Brown as Claudio, Lillian Rachel as Benedick, Cate Barratt as Dogberry, and Gary Macfadden as Don John. Also featuring the voices of Catherine Bilson, Ron Altman, Alan Weyman, P J Morgan, Claudio Anglade, John Burlinson and Linda Barrans. Songs arranged by Alan Weyman Audio edited by Denis Daly Text kindly provided by playshakespeare.com

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Alan Weyman, Cate Barratt, Catherine Bilson, Claudia Anglade, Dara Brown, Emma Faye, Gary Macfadden, John Burlinson, Kendra Murray, Lillian Rachel, Linda Barrans, Pj Morgan, Ron Altman (Narrator)

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Alls Well That Ends Well

This play is a dramatization of Boccaccio’s story of Gillette of Narbonne. Only the comic parts were of Shakespeare’s invention; he added the characters of the pusillanimous Parolles, the lofty courtier Lafew, the Clown Lavatch, and the long suffering Countess. He gave new depth and vitality to the leading characters, who are mere outlines in Boccaccio’s tale. The comedy has for its heroine a young woman who loves the haughty Bertram with an unrequited and despised passion, cures the King of France of a dangerous sickness, claims as her reward the right to choose a husband from among the courtiers, chooses Bertram, is repudiated by him, and, after a nocturnal meeting at which she takes the place of another woman whom he believes himself to have seduced, at last overcomes his resistance and is acknowledged as his wife. In Helena, Shakespeare drew a portrait of familiar type of loving and cruelly maltreated womanhood—the woman who suffers everything in inexhaustible tenderness and humility, and never falters in her love until in the end she wins the rebellious heart.

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Aisling Gray, Claudia Anglade, David Shears, Denis Daly, Emma Faye, Gary Macfadden, John Burlinson, Kendra Murray, Linda Barrans, Marty Krz, Pj Morgan (Narrator)

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The Best Psychic Stories

This collection of sixteen stories contains a mixture of stories about ghosts and contacts from spirits, some by celebrated authors, together with essays on psychical research. As Joseph French notes in the preface, even for the skeptic, tales of ghostly activity retain a distinct fascination. The widespread interest in psychic phenomena in the early twentieth century proved to be a significant stimulus to literary production. CONTENTS 1) “When the World was Young” by Jack London2) “The Return” by Algernon Blackwood3) “The Second Generation” by Algernon Blackwood4) “The Clavecin-Bruges” by George Wharton Edwards5) “Ligeia” by Edgar Allan Poe6) “The Sylph and the Father” by Elsa Barker7) “A Ghost” by Lafcadio Hearn8) “The Eyes of the Panther” by Ambrose Bierce9) “Photographing Invisible Beings” by William T. Stead10) “Ghosts in Solid Form” by Gambier Bolton11) “The Phantom Armies seen in France” by Hereward Carrington12) “The Portal of the Unknown” by Andrew Jackson Davis13) “The Supernormal: Experiences” by St John D. Seymour14) “Nature-spirits, or Elementals” by Nizida15) “A Witch’s Den” by Helena Blavatsky16) “Some Remarkable Experiences of Famous Persons” by Walter F. Prince

Algernon Blackwood, Ambrose Bierce, Andrew Jackson Davis, Edgar Allan Poe, Elsa Barker, Gambier Bolton, George Wharton Edwards, Helena Blavatsky, Hereward Carrington, Jack London, Katherine Rickford, Lafcadio Hearn, Nizida, St. John D. Seymour, Walter F. Prince, William T. Stead (Author), Amy Soakes, John Burlinson, Martin Gooding (Narrator)

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A Gallery of Children

A Gallery of Children' is A. A. Milne's first published book of prose. It was released after his poetry collection, 'When we were very young', and prior to 'Winnie the Pooh'. With his characteristic blend of nonsense, wit and warmth, Milne offers twelve short stories of childish endeavour and mishap. They will delight and amuse listeners both young and not-so-young.

A. A. Milne (Author), Alan Weyman, Bonnie Trost, Jennifer Fournier, John Burlinson, Lee Ann Howlett, Susan Iannucci (Narrator)

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Satan's Diary

Satan's Diary By Leonid Andreyev Narrated by John Burlinson. Satan's Diary, Andreyev’s last work, was completed a few days before he died in Finland in September, 1919. In this absorbing satire Andreyev gives vent to his extreme disillusionment about the intrinsic venality of man. Having assumed the form of an American multi-millionaire, Satan sets out on a tour through Europe in quest of amusement and adventure. He observes a panopoly of subversive and hypocritical behaviours, the abhorrent cruelty of men and the deceptive innocence of women. Within a short time Prince of Hell finds himself outwitted, deceived, relieved of his millions, mocked and humiliated, beaten by man by the use of his own devilish devices.

Leonid Andreyev (Author), John Burlinson (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by John Burlinson