My chief criterion in evaluating a dramatized performance of Shakespeare is that none of the lines are left out, save a few words here and there. Secondly, I also appreciate accurate sound effects, and a subtle "soundtrack," and a good overall recording quality. By all of these measurements this Naxos production of Hamlet scores well. The main problem is that, in a couple of scenes, Hamlet himself starts speaking way too fast for one to take in the lines. One might argue that this play is soooo long that, since this company has - quite justifiably - decided to remain loyal to Shakespeare's script, it only makes sense that they would have to hurry it up a bit. A few reviewers have failed to take the validity of this argument into account. The BBC Shakespeare productions are invariably bad about leaving out large chunks of important dialog. Any geek like you or me who listens to audible dramatizations of Shakespeare will insist on every verse being spoken.

Terrible recording!! The sounds are inconsistent; the music so loud that you can hardly hear the words.

I have to admit that this audio book was probably the best that i have every heard. The narration and speaking made me feel as if i was in the time and watching them do all these actions live.

This is not directed at those who are already familiar with Hamlet and have read the play before. This audiobook was my first experience with Hamlet, however, and the action is very difficult to follow. I'm not familiar with Elizabethan English, and the actors generally speak very quickly with some exceptions, such as Claudius. (Hamlet himself, however, is not an exception.) I listen to books in my car, but even taking the background noise into account, the changes in volume were extreme. At several points I had to turn the volume up so high -- even to hear that anyone was speaking at all! -- that I worried that when some new character entered and the volume returned to normal, my ears would be hurt.

While those who have read the play may get a better appreciation for the work by hearing it dramatized, (and the use of sound and music is well-done, to be fair) I would not recommend that someone unfamiliar with the play use this production as a first exposure to Hamlet.

If you're not able to actually watch the play on stage or film, then this is perhaps the next best thing. Pretty well acted out with music and sound effects. Only real complaint is it isn't broken up into scenes and acts for easy skipping around (or if it is, I haven't figured out how to do it).