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Cakes and Ale audiobook cover art

  • Cakes and Ale

  • By: W. Somerset Maugham
  • Narrated by: James Saxon
  • Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 96
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 83
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    4 out of 5 stars 84

When Cakes and Ale was first published in 1930 it roused a storm of controversy, since many people imagined they recognised portraits of literary figures now no more. It is the novel for which Maugham wished to be remembered.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • A classic worth reading

  • By edteach3r on 01-06-16
The Painted Veil audiobook cover art

  • The Painted Veil

  • By: W. Somerset Maugham
  • Narrated by: Kate Reading
  • Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 1,879
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,432
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,422

First published in 1925, The Painted Veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. Set in England and Hong Kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young Kitty Fane. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to a remote region of China ravaged by a cholera epidemic.

  • 4 out of 5 stars

  • What An Unexpected Delight!

  • By Cathy on 10-22-08
Blithe Spirit audiobook cover art

  • Blithe Spirit

  • By: Noel Coward
  • Narrated by: Rosalind Ayres, Shirley Knight, Judy Geeson, and others
  • Length: 1 hr and 44 mins
  • Original Recording
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 69
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 56
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 57

This classic comedy is set in the charming country home of Charles Condomine, a remarried widower. A witty and convivial evening party among friends is transformed when a seance conjures the ghost of Elvira, Charles' first wife, who delights in wreaking havoc among the living. An enchanting Coward comedy!

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Ms Geeson at her finest

  • By Sarah on 02-05-07
A Woman of No Importance audiobook cover art

  • A Woman of No Importance

  • By: Oscar Wilde
  • Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes, Samantha Mathis, Rosalind Ayres, and others
  • Length: 1 hr and 34 mins
  • Original Recording
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 166
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 136
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 138

Devilishly attractive Lord Illingworth is notorious for his skill as a seducer. But he is still invited to all the "best" houses, while his female conquests must hide their shame in seclusion. In this devastating drawing-room comedy, Oscar Wilde uses his celebrated wit to expose English society's narrow view of everything from sexual mores to Americans.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Pitch Perfect Performance

  • By Cheryl on 08-26-12
She Stoops to Conquer audiobook cover art

  • She Stoops to Conquer

  • Mistakes of the Night
  • By: Oliver Goldsmith
  • Narrated by: Rosalind Ayres, Adam Godley, Julian Holloway, and others
  • Length: 1 hr and 51 mins
  • Original Recording
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 82
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 78
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 78

Starring James Marsters, this classic comedy of manners from 1773 is still widely performed and studied. Love, lies, and dysfunctional families. Sound like your last family gathering? Try this one on for laughs. Two randy young gents, Charles and George, set out to woo the alluring and upper-crust Kate and Constance. But inexperienced Charles is shy and clumsy around upper-class ladies, so it’s the barmaid who catches his eye. But is she really who she seems?

  • 5 out of 5 stars

  • Wonderful performances and production. Fun story!

  • By MillenniumMike on 10-31-12
An Ideal Husband audiobook cover art

  • An Ideal Husband

  • By: Oscar Wilde
  • Narrated by: Rosalind Ayres, Jacqueline Bisset, Paul Gutrecht, and others
  • Length: 1 hr and 39 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 121
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 88
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 88

A tender love story, a serpentine villainess, a glittering setting in London society, and a showering of Wildean witticism are only a few of the reasons why this play has enjoyed hugely successful revivals in London, in New York, and on the silver screen. This 1895 drama is eerily prescient, as it examines the plight of a promising politician, desperate to hide a secret in his past. With empathy and wit, Oscar Wilde explores the pitfalls of holding public figures to higher standards than the rest of us.

  • 4 out of 5 stars

  • a Wildely Wicked and WItty Play

  • By Kelly on 01-27-17

Publisher's Summary

There’s something Constance Middleton’s friends are dying to tell her: her husband is having an affair – with her best friend! Despite their hints, Constance remains ever cool, and seemingly oblivious. Or is she? In this biting comedy of manners, marriages and mistresses, Constance – a not-so-desperate housewife - has some ideas of her own about extra-marital activity that surprise everyone in the end!

An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance starring Kate Burton as Constance Middleton, Rosalind Ayres as Barbara Fawcett, Mark Capri as Bentley/Mortimer Durham, Stephen Collins as Bernard Kersal, John De Lancie as John Middleton, F.R.C.S., Jen Dede as Marie-Louise Durham, Christina Pickles as Mrs. Culver, and Kirsten Potter as Martha Culver, and with live sound effects by Tony Palermo.
(P)2011 L.A. Theatre Works

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fun and frothy, but with a bit of a bite!

An interesting entry from the LA TheatreWorks collection. Before buying this download, I had heard of this Somerset Maugham play, but I had never seen/heard it performed. It sounds much like a Noel Coward play, in style and wit, although it is less humorous and has a relatively serious undertone re man/woman relationships. The cast is uniformly excellent--bringing out the charm and the underlying social significance of the play--but both Kate Burton and Rosalind Ayres merit special mention. All the actresses come off better than the actors, but this is the nature of the play, which views men essentially as damn fools and women as either wise or scheming cats--but cats nonetheless. (Again, very much a Noel Coward stance!) Altogether, it is good fun, and you will certainly not regret selecting this play for your collection. I give it four out of five stars, and I will be listening to it again and again for the excellently deft touch of the actors.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Emily
  • Mount Macedon, Australia
  • 07-04-14

A witty, funny, feminist tale of liberation

Constance is the perfect wife living the dream. She is devoted to her husband, a doctor, spends her days comfortably, and enjoys a high standard of living. To all appearances, nothing could be wrong in her world. However, she has a rather delicious secret ...

W. Somerset Maugham's brilliantly funny play is charming, will make you laugh, and is a timeless tale of a woman discovering who she is and what she wants. It will bear many repeated listenings, losing nothing in knowing what comes next, but becoming even better.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Maugham always delivers

This play takes the tawdy affair narrative and turns it on It's head. Well written and well acted, more than worth a listen.

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Susan
  • Kingston, Ontario, Canada
  • 12-12-16

Witty British drama

A great but little known English play about the sexual and economic double standard in the 1920s. I think it contains Maugham's best comic roles for women. The performance sparkles.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful