King Lear
- Author William Shakespeare
- Narrator Trevor Peacock, Clive Merrison, a full cast, Samantha Bond, David Tennant, Gerard Murphy, Penny Downie, Julia Ford, John Rogan
- Publisher Arkangel
- Publish Date 15 October 2005
- Run Time 3 hours and 8 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Classic and pre-20th century plays.
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What to expect
This shattering drama of isolation and loss is one of the greatest tragedies in world literature.
King Lear of Britain has three daughters: the hard-hearted Goneril and Regan, and the good and gentle Cordelia. He determines to divide his kingdom between them, giving the largest share to she who can say she loves him the best. Lear’s tragic lack of judgement and self-knowledge is paralleled by the blindness of the loyal Gloucester who is persuaded to reject his virtuous son Edgar in favor of the villainous Edmund.
Lear is played by Trevor Peacock and Gloucester by Clive Merrison. Penny Downie is Goneril, Samantha Bond is Regan, and Julia Ford is Cordelia. Edgar is played by David Tennant, Edmund by Gerard Murphy, and the Fool by John Rogan.
Critics Review
“Hearing Lear, rather than seeing it, emphasizes the power of Shakespearean language. As the aging king who gives up his throne, Trevor Peacock deteriorates from petulance to madness. Gerard Murphy delivers Edmund's monologue on his bastard condition with masterful control, humanizing evil with an anger born of oversensitivity to injustice. Julia Ford brings a gentle strength to Cordelia; her voice alone is enough to convince that she is virtuous but not weaker for it.”
“A rhapsody of words, assembled for the ear. This venture marries scholarship and accessibility on an unmatched scale.”
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