Hamlet

Shakespeare Appreciated (Unabridged, Dramatised, Commentary Options)

By: William Shakespeare, Simon Potter, Phil Viner, Jools Viner

Narrated by: Joan Walker, Stephen Elder, Paul Clayton

Experience Hamlet as a powerful full-cast drama with entertaining and enlightening commentary that explains what's what and who's who as the plot unfolds. To help you get the most out of Shakespeare, the narrator offers historical insights and background information, so you can enjoy the jokes, appreciate the references, and get a real sense of Shakespeare's world.

The unabridged drama is also presented without commentary. If school turned you off Shakespeare, find out what you've been missing all these years with this beautifully crafted audio presentation.

From the creators of SmartPass audio education study guides, voted third in a national poll to find the UK's favourite audibook (2008). Winners of three Spoken Word Awards for Best Drama (2004), Best Original Audio, and Best Publishing Initiative (2005).

©2009 SmartPass Ltd (P)2009 SmartPass Ltd

Love this series

Any additional comments?

Listen to the version with commentary, then the one without, for a fantastic experience, as you will then understand every utterance! This would have been time-consuming in print, but it goes by quickly with Audible. Thanks for a great series. The actors are very professional and do the master justice.

Performance great; commentary lacking

This is the second "Shakespeare Appreciated" recording I have listened to. The first was "Julius Caesar". The performance was just as good but the commentary was almost non-existent. Pretty much "Hamlet enters..." or "Hamlet exits...” If you have no concern for the commentary you will enjoy this.

Great Production

Where does Hamlet rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I always enjoy dramatizations, and this is a good one. I use it to help my students hear Shakespeare as they find it very hard to read. The kids enjoy the production and find it easy to follow and interesting. Keep in mind, however, that the dramatized version WITHOUT commentary doesn't start until chapter 27. I find this backwards, but either way, I guess it works.

Any additional comments?

I do appreciate the commentary, but it's not really in depth. For someone trying to learn Hamlet or understand it a first or second time around, it is probably very useful, but I didn't hear any truly thought provoking comments.

Fantastic!!

I’ve enjoyed all the Shakespeare Appreciated productions I’ve listened to thus far. The narration is a wonderful aid for understanding the play! I then listen to version without the narration/explanation to let it really sink in!

Wow! Finally, I can follow Hamlet!

Knowing only the general story of Hamlet, and not wanting to lumber through passages that I cannot understand because "I know not" of this earlier language or the fads in the days of Shakespeare (Edward de Vere?), I leaped at this "Appreciated" version, and plan to go through all the rest of this series. Hurray!

The Way

Would you listen to Hamlet again? Why?

The cast of this production was great.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

I really enjoyed listening to the narrator giving me additional information to make it easy to follow along.

Any additional comments?

I left Shakespeare in one of my boring high school English classes. What a fool I was back then not to use my English teacher to learn more about one of our greatest writers. This edition is the perfect way to re-introduce myself to Shakespeare.

Shakespeare revealed!

While I have loved the poetry of Hamlet, it wasn't until I listened to this performance of the play - powerfully well done - with commentary that I was able to transcend 21st century culture and immerse myself in the depths of Hamlet. The program unveiled my brain to the beauty which had been previously obscure.

Good Introduction, with Reservations

This could be helpful for an introductory student of Shakespeare and "Hamlet". There is some dramatization (carefully and rightfully described as being "speculative", as are all details of Shakespeare's life and literary motives) of Shakespeare's possible thinking when he wrote "Hamlet". Then there's a complete version of the play, done very well, but with extensive commentary. Anyone interested in getting to know Shakespeare but unfamiliar with the language of the time could find all this interruption helpful.
My reservation is that it can also be somewhat confusing. I believe this might be better done (and perhaps has been done) in a video format. This is a noble effort, and I hope it might bring more people to an appreciation of "Hamlet".

Great way to listen to the play

Plays are a visual thing for us, even for those who went to "hear a play" back in Shakespeare's time - they at least looked at people occasionally to sort everyone out (if they were paying attention). Reading a play is easier as well compared to having to listen to an audio version.

I was preparing to direct Hamlet and wanted to drown myself in the play as much as possibel so I got this to listen to while in the car. Wonderful attempt at performing the play tho as a fan of Shakespeare, the commentary did get in the way a bit. It's great for beginners and those who have issues with Shakespeare's language!

Great for a Shakespeare beginner!

Any additional comments?

I have always been afraid of Shakespeare because the language and meanings are so different. I didn't think I would be able to understand what the "true" meaning was. This audio was set up perfectly. The first part the narrator interrupts and explains the back story or the particular meaning of a phrase. Once I listened to that I was able to listen to just the dramatized play and I got so much more out of it than I would have listening on my own.