-
The Molière Collection
- Narrated by: Richard Easton, Brian Bedford, Joanne Whalley, Martin Jarvis, Alex Kingston, John de Lancie, Harry Althaus
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Performance
- Release date: 05-12-11
- Language: English
- Publisher: L.A. Theatre Works
Regular price: $19.95
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Oscar Wilde Collection
- By: Oscar Wilde
- Narrated by: James Marsters, Jacqueline Bisset, Alfred Molina, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 303
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 268
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 267
Four classic comedies from one of the wittiest playwrights in Western literature: Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, and The Importance of Being Earnest, all featuring star-studded casts with the likes of Jacqueline Bisset, Miriam Margolyes, James Marsters, Alfred Molina, Roger Rees, Yeardley Smith, Eric Stoltz, and many more. This audio also includes a chilling dramatization of Wilde's sole novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good Collection
- By Anniebligh on 03-31-12
-
The George Bernard Shaw Collection
- By: George Bernard Shaw
- Narrated by: Shirley Knight, Anne Heche, JoBeth Williams, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 86
Eight of George Bernard Shaw's most memorable plays in one splendid collection: Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Arms and the Man, Candida, The Devil’s Disciple, Major Barbara, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Misalliance, and Pygmalion.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Impressive Collection of Shaw
- By Michael on 10-04-12
-
The Noël Coward Collection
- By: Noël Coward
- Narrated by: Annette Bening, Joe Mantegna, Eric Stoltz, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 108
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 95
Six phenomenally sophisticated Noël Coward comedies: Fallen Angels, Hay Fever, Private Lives, Design for Living, Blithe Spirit, Present Laughter.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bravo Mr. Coward
- By HIYBRID on 02-06-12
-
The Neil Simon Collection
- By: Neil Simon
- Narrated by: Dan Castellaneta, Nathan Lane, Richard Dreyfuss, and others
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 146
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 132
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 131
Ten essential plays by Neil Simon, one of the world’s most celebrated, translated, and widely performed playwrights, including Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and more.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good, but missing something
- By Michael on 12-28-12
-
The Real Thing
- By: Tom Stoppard
- Narrated by: Andrea Bowen, Matt Gaydos, Carolyn Seymour, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 77
Henry may be the wittiest playwright of his generation, but he’s hopelessly naïve when it comes to understanding love and infidelity. Writing about betrayal is one thing, living with it is another. After Henry leaves his wife for another woman, he’s confronted with being the cuckold himself. Both dazzlingly clever and emotionally naked, Henry’s search for the “the real thing” in art and love demonstrates beautifully why both are worth the effort in the end.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By SHAWN on 03-09-11
-
The Oresteia
- By: Aeschylus, Yuri Rasovsky - adaptation from translation, Ian Johnston - translator
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 250
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 188
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 187
In The Oresteia, Aeschylus dramatizes the myth of the curse on the royal house of Argos. The action begins when King Agamemnon returns victorious from the Trojan War, only to be treacherously slain by his own wife. It ends with the trial of their son, Orestes, who slew his mother to avenge her treachery - a trial with the goddess Athena as judge, the god Apollo as defense attorney, and, as prosecutors, relentless avenging demons called The Furies.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A Dramatic Trilogy for Both GODS and MEN.
- By Darwin8u on 06-19-12
-
The Oscar Wilde Collection
- By: Oscar Wilde
- Narrated by: James Marsters, Jacqueline Bisset, Alfred Molina, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 303
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 268
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 267
Four classic comedies from one of the wittiest playwrights in Western literature: Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, and The Importance of Being Earnest, all featuring star-studded casts with the likes of Jacqueline Bisset, Miriam Margolyes, James Marsters, Alfred Molina, Roger Rees, Yeardley Smith, Eric Stoltz, and many more. This audio also includes a chilling dramatization of Wilde's sole novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good Collection
- By Anniebligh on 03-31-12
-
The George Bernard Shaw Collection
- By: George Bernard Shaw
- Narrated by: Shirley Knight, Anne Heche, JoBeth Williams, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 84
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 86
Eight of George Bernard Shaw's most memorable plays in one splendid collection: Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Arms and the Man, Candida, The Devil’s Disciple, Major Barbara, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Misalliance, and Pygmalion.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Impressive Collection of Shaw
- By Michael on 10-04-12
-
The Noël Coward Collection
- By: Noël Coward
- Narrated by: Annette Bening, Joe Mantegna, Eric Stoltz, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 108
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 95
Six phenomenally sophisticated Noël Coward comedies: Fallen Angels, Hay Fever, Private Lives, Design for Living, Blithe Spirit, Present Laughter.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Bravo Mr. Coward
- By HIYBRID on 02-06-12
-
The Neil Simon Collection
- By: Neil Simon
- Narrated by: Dan Castellaneta, Nathan Lane, Richard Dreyfuss, and others
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 146
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 132
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 131
Ten essential plays by Neil Simon, one of the world’s most celebrated, translated, and widely performed playwrights, including Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and more.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good, but missing something
- By Michael on 12-28-12
-
The Real Thing
- By: Tom Stoppard
- Narrated by: Andrea Bowen, Matt Gaydos, Carolyn Seymour, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 77
Henry may be the wittiest playwright of his generation, but he’s hopelessly naïve when it comes to understanding love and infidelity. Writing about betrayal is one thing, living with it is another. After Henry leaves his wife for another woman, he’s confronted with being the cuckold himself. Both dazzlingly clever and emotionally naked, Henry’s search for the “the real thing” in art and love demonstrates beautifully why both are worth the effort in the end.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By SHAWN on 03-09-11
-
The Oresteia
- By: Aeschylus, Yuri Rasovsky - adaptation from translation, Ian Johnston - translator
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 250
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 188
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 187
In The Oresteia, Aeschylus dramatizes the myth of the curse on the royal house of Argos. The action begins when King Agamemnon returns victorious from the Trojan War, only to be treacherously slain by his own wife. It ends with the trial of their son, Orestes, who slew his mother to avenge her treachery - a trial with the goddess Athena as judge, the god Apollo as defense attorney, and, as prosecutors, relentless avenging demons called The Furies.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A Dramatic Trilogy for Both GODS and MEN.
- By Darwin8u on 06-19-12
-
The Misanthrope
- By: Richard Wilbur (translator), Molière
- Narrated by: Brian Bedford, J. D. Cullum, Sarah Drew, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 50 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 27
This timeless comedy of manners is considered one of Molière’s most probing and mature works. While it’s still an exemplar of 16th-century farce, Molière went beyond his usual comic inventiveness to create a world of rich, complex characters, especially in the cynical title character Alceste, played here by the Tony Award-winning actor Brian Bedford.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good play, great translation, good performance
- By Timoteo on 03-08-18
-
Arcadia
- By: Tom Stoppard
- Narrated by: Kate Burton, Mark Capri, Jennifer Dundas, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 57 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 204
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 178
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 176
Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia merges science with human concerns and ideals, examining the universe’s influence in our everyday lives and ultimate fates through relationship between past and present, order and disorder and the certainty of knowledge. Set in an English country house in the year 1809-1812 and 1989, the play examines the lives of two modern scholars and the house's current residents with the lives of those who lived there 180 years earlier.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great production
- By M. W. Roberts on 02-23-11
-
These Truths
- A History of the United States
- By: Jill Lepore
- Narrated by: Jill Lepore
- Length: 29 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall1.5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
In the most ambitious one-volume American history in decades, award-winning historian Jill Lepore offers a magisterial account of the origins and rise of a divided nation. In riveting prose, These Truths tells the story of America, beginning in 1492, to ask whether the course of events has proven the nation's founding truths or belied them.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
POOR NARRATION
- By Robert M. Stein on 09-21-18
-
Candide (Gildan Media Edition)
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 319
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 271
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 274
Candide, is a French satire written in 1759 by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. One of the finest satires ever written, this lively tale follows the absurdly melodramatic adventures of the youthful Candide, who is forced into the army, flogged, shipwrecked, betrayed, robbed, separated from his beloved Cunégonde, and tortured by the Inquisition. As Candide witnesses calamity upon calamity, he becomes disillusioned and discovers that all is not always for the best....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amusing, a favorite, well read
- By Philo on 02-24-12
-
Respect for Acting, 2nd Edition
- By: Uta Hagen, Haskel Frankel
- Narrated by: Angele Masters
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 155
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 138
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 137
For many years, she was asked to write a book. Finally she did, and here it is: an account of her own struggle with the techniques of acting and based on her teachings. Respect for Acting is a book for people who respect (or wish they could) the theater on both sides of the footlights, for actors and audiences who favor truth in a creative process.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating, even for non actors like myself
- By Jason Comely on 11-13-12
-
Seven Classic Plays
- By: William Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, and others
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 125
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 44
Now, for the first time in audio, Blackstone presents seven great plays in one volume: Euripides' Medea, Shakespeare's The Tempest, Moliere's The Imaginary Invalid, Dumas' Camille, Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, Shaw's Arms and the Man, and Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. These productions illustrate the development of European drama from ancient times to the threshold of the modern theater.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Badly Done Plays
- By S. N. C. Siegel on 05-06-06
-
The Complete Essays of Montaigne
- By: Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, Donald M. Frame (translator)
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 49 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 274
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 240
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 233
“A faithful translation is rare; a translation which preserves intact the original text is very rare; a perfect translation of Montaigne appears impossible. Yet Donald Frame has realized this feat. One does not seem to be reading a translation, so smooth and easy is the style; at each moment, one seems to be listening to Montaigne himself - the freshness of his ideas, the unexpected choice of words. Frame has kept everything.” (Andre Maurois, The New York Times Book Review)
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Spend some enjoyable time with Michel de Montaigne
- By Rooby on 10-04-12
-
Cousin Bette
- By: Honore de Balzac
- Narrated by: Johanna Ward
- Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 148
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 76
The Bette referred to in this magnificent novel's title is Lisbeth Fischer, an excruciatingly cunning poor relation who both depends upon and nurses a terrible grudge against the family of her beautiful cousin, Adeline. That family is slowly being ruined by the uncontrollable sexual appetites of Adeline's husband, Baron Hulot - appetites that will, in time, give Cousin Bette opportunity to exact her vengeance.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Narrator!
- By Tambi on 12-03-06
-
Antigone
- By: Jean Anouilh
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Marvel, Full Cast
- Length: 1 hr and 47 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 97
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 73
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 73
The body of Polynices, Antigone's brother, has been ordered to remain unburied by Creon, the new king of Thebes. Antigone defies the law, sealing her fate. Originally produced in Paris during the Nazi occupation, Anouilh's Antigone was seen by the French as theatre resistance and by Germans as an affirmation of authority.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A classic is given a fabulous update!
- By Joshua on 09-28-13
-
Metamorphoses
- By: Ovid
- Narrated by: David Horovitch
- Length: 17 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 166
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 151
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 149
The Metamorphoses by Publius Ovidius Naso (43 B.C. - A.D. 17) has, over the centuries, been the most popular and influential work from our classical tradition. This extraordinary collection of some 250 Greek and Roman myths and folk tales has always been a popular favorite, and has decisively shaped western art and literature from the moment it was completed in A.D. 8. The stories are particularly vivid when read by David Horovitch, in this new lively verse translation by Ian Johnston.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic!
- By Tad Davis on 10-31-12
-
A Doll House
- By: Henrik Ibsen
- Narrated by: Calista Flockhart, Tony Abatemarco, Tim Dekay, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,025
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 938
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 933
A new recording of Henrik Ibsen's masterpiece, starring Calista Flockhart. Nora Helmer has everything a young housewife could want: beautiful children, an adoring husband, and a bright future. But when a carelessly buried secret rises from the past, Nora's well-calibrated domestic ideal starts to crumble. Ibsen's play is as fresh today as it was when it first stormed the stages of 19th-century Europe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Independence
- By Renee on 01-24-15
-
August: Osage County
- By: Tracy Letts
- Narrated by: Tara Lynne Barr, Shannon Cochran, Rosemarie DeWitt, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 422
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 369
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 374
An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast recording, featuring members of the original Steppenwolf Theatre and Broadway productions: Tara Lynne Barr, Shannon Cochran, Deanna Dunagan (Tony Award®, Best Leading Actress), Kimberly Guerrero, Francis Guinan, Scott Jaeck, Ron Livingston, Robert Maffia, Mariann Mayberry, Rondi Reed (Tony Award®, Best Featured Actress), and David Warshofsky. Directed by Bart DeLorenzo. Recorded by L.A. Thetare Works before a live audience.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Side-Splitting and Heart-Breaking!
- By Kindle Customer on 04-10-15
Publisher's Summary
Six hilarious satires from the ingenious Molière, France’s original master of comedies:
The Bungler: In 17th-century Sicily, a clever valet named Mascarille tries to help his boss Lélie win the girl of his dreams… only to find that Lélie is a monumental dunce who ruins every one of his intricate schemes. Performed by Richard Easton, et al.
The Imaginary Cuckold: Brian Bedford stars as the enraged husband who imagines his wife is unfaithful, but becomes reluctant to defend his honor in this grand farce of hysterical coincidences, frenzied confusion and mistaken identities – the most widely performed Molière play in his lifetime. Performed by: Brian Bedford, Joanne Whalley, et al.
The School for Husbands: Sganarelle, a tyrannical old buffoon of a husband-to-be, seeks to isolate his young ward, while unwittingly carrying her messages of devotion to her lover. Performed by: Brian Bedford, Emily Bergl, et al.
The School for Wives: In this biting comedy of errors, the hapless Arnolphe is undone by his own double dealing and double standards. This play is considered by many to be Molière’s masterpiece, and Wilbur’s subtle verse translation illuminates the great master of comedy at his wittiest. Performed by: William Brown, et al.
Tartuffe: Initially banned in by King Louis XIV, Molière’s most famous satire exposes hypocrisy in the Catholic Church. A pious fraud manipulates the patriarch of a wealthy family into giving up his fortune, and it’s up to his family to expose the truth before they end up in the poor house. Performed by: Brian Bedford, Martin Jarvis, et al.
The Misanthrope: Razor-sharp wit inflames a competitive game of survival in the salons of 17th century France. In this world of "finest appearances", one man’s blunt honesty shatters his society’s delicate web of manners in what is often considered to be Molière’s Hamlet. Performed by: Harry Althaus, et al.
More from the same
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
Overall
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars28
-
4 Stars11
-
3 Stars2
-
2 Stars2
-
1 Stars1
Performance
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars25
-
4 Stars10
-
3 Stars1
-
2 Stars0
-
1 Stars0
Story
-
4.5 out of 5 stars
-
5 Stars25
-
4 Stars9
-
3 Stars2
-
2 Stars0
-
1 Stars2
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Joseph M.
- Connecticut
- 02-16-13
Classic. Easton is a god
The man is so underrated. Godlike delivery enhances Moliere. Brings back to life. Opening lines of Brian Bedford are funny too.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Michael
- Walnut Creek, CA, United States
- 10-11-12
Mildly Amusing
These plays were mildly amusing, but far from great. All these plays were preformed from translations to English rhymes (translating verse is very difficult), and the rhymes often seemed both predicable and forced and took me out of the flow. Some of the plays were so blandly performed that much of the humor was lost. The School for Wives and Tartuffe were the best of these six, primarily because they were the most broadly played. I found the repeating loops of barnyard or crowd background sounds completely unnecessary and distracting. In this kind of broad comedy facial expressions and stage work play an important part which is lost in audible format. This kind of bawdy humor can be quite fun if you have a women in one hand and a drink in another, but while driving they were not the thing.
8 of 13 people found this review helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kyle Higgins
- 04-19-17
Excellent
A great collection of Moliere plays with an excellent translation, wonderful performances and some very interesting interviews in between the repertoire.