Richard III
By William Shakespeare
Part of the Arkangel Complete Shakespeare The Audio Partners Publishing Corp.
A Fully Dramatized, Unabridged Recording, on 3 CDs
ISBN: 1-932219-29-3
Reviewed by Sheldon Ztvordokov - February 26, 2007
Based on the life of the historic Richard III, this is one my favorite plays by William Shakespeare. Richard III is one of Shakespeare's numerous plays based on English history. In it he has crafted one of his most conning and immoral protagonists. In this tale, Edward IV has just been crowned King of England, however his brother, twisted in both mind and body, wants the crown for himself. The story follows the machinations of Richard III as he wrests the crown from his brother. To achieve his goal, Richard is willing to destroy, kill, or have murdered anyone who stands in his way. (This is one of those stories where you need to take notes to keep track of dead.) Even after he achieves his goal, the killings go on as he struggles to secure his throne. A major battle ensues, in which Richard III utters those famous words, "A Horse! A Horse! My kingdom for a horse!" As the curtain falls, the houses of York and Lancaster are united by marriage, effectively ending the War of the Roses.
From beginning to end, this is a gripping tale of intrigue. Shakespeare ably captures the nuances of the time, and how Richard III's cupidity and an unmitigated quest for power destroyed nearly everyone who came within his grasp. This story serves not only as an entertaining foray into a bygone age, but also serves as a biased, yet nonetheless telling, introduction to an epic period in English history.
This unabridged dramatic production of Richard III is part of The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare collection and it is a companion recording to the print edition of The Complete Pelican Shakespeare. This play was dramatized by a full cast of respected Shakespearean actors that included:
David Troughton as Richard III
Margaret Robertson as Queen Margaret
Saskia Wickham as Lady Anne
Philip Voss as the Duke of Buckingham
Sonia Ritter as Queen Elizabeth
This recording of Richard III is an unabridged dramatization, issued on three CDs. The CDs are packaged with liner notes that provide a scene by scene synopsis of the play, a cast list, and tracking list that will enable you to easily find each act and scene in the play. This is a full stage dramatization of the play, and it is rounded out by a musical score composed by Dominique Le Gendre and accompanying sound effects.
Related Reviews:
Hamlet, by William Shakespeare.
Hamlet's quest for vengeance destroys not only himself, but everyone around him in this tragic tale.
King Lear, by William Shakespeare.
King Lear has said that he will divide his kingdom among those of his daughters who can best, obsequiously, express their love for him. What ensues is a tragic tale of avarice that finds Lear's most beloved daughter disowned and her conniving sisters as sole heirs to his kingdom.
