Showing results for "William Shakespeare" in Comedy & Humor

The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s “late plays.” It tells the story of a king whose jealousy results in the banishment of his baby daughter and the death of his beautiful wife. His daughter is found and brought up by a shepherd on the Bohemian coast, but through a series of...

Man Booker Prize-winner Howard Jacobson brings his singular brilliance to this modern re-imagining of one of Shakespeare’s most unforgettable characters: Shylock Winter, a cemetery, Shylock. In this provocative and profound interpretation of The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is juxtaposed...

The ghost of the murdered king begs his son for revenge. But young Prince Hamlet is beset by doubts and unable to bring himself to action. If he waits too long, however, he could well become the murderer's next target.

Hot on the heels of the New York Times best seller William Shakespeare’s Star Wars comes the final installment of the original trilogy: William Shakespeare’s The Jedi Doth Return. Prithee, attend the tale so far: Han Solo entombed in carbonite, the princess taken captive, the Rebel Alliance...

Experience The Force Awakens as a Shakespeare play, complete with Elizabethan verse, Shakespearian monologues, and theatrical stage directions! As the noble Resistance clashes with the vile First Order, Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren, and BB-8 are pulled into a galaxy-wide drama—in iambic...

Hot on the heels of the New York Times bestseller William Shakespeare’s Star Wars comes the next installment of the original trilogy: William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back. Many a fortnight have passed since the destruction of the Death Star. Young Luke Skywalker and his friends...

Fully improvised Shakespearean plays, complete with big characters, twisting plots, and very necessary soliloquies.

In this BBC full-cast production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena run to the woods and stumble into a life separate from time itself. Fairy magic wreaks havoc and midsummer madness takes over as lovers tread the delicate line between fantasy and reality...

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. Magic, fairies, young lovers chasing each other through a forest, a man with a donkey's head, and impish Puck wreaking havoc right and left. What's going on here? It's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare at his most fanciful. The play opens with Theseus, Duke of Athens, preparing for his wedding. Egeus complains to Theseus that his daughter Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius. When Hermia is given the choice between marriage to Demetrius or life as a nun, she and her true love Lysander flee into the forest. Demetrius follows them; and Helena...

Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's Life of Marcus Antonius and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Parthian War to Cleopatra's suicide. The major antagonist is Octavius Caesar, one of Antony's fellow triumviri and the future first emperor of Rome. The tragedy is a Roman play characterized by swift, panoramic shifts in geographical locations and in registers,...

“Hilarious, always inventive, this is a book for all, especially uptight English teachers, bardolaters, and ministerial students.” —Dallas Morning News Fool—the bawdy and outrageous New York Times bestseller from the unstoppable Christopher Moore—is a hilarious new take on William...

Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this sublime retelling of George Lucas’s epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds...

All Brexit's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. . . Written by the Bard himself, with a little help from novelist Boris Starling, this wonderful comedy of errors retells the tragic story of the UK's acrimonious break from the EU, written in wonderful iambic pentameter. From...

Step into a world of mistaken identities, unrequited love, and comedic intrigue with our collection of audiobooks inspired by Shakespeare's timeless themes. This podcast explores the delightful chaos and human folly that arise when individuals disguise their true selves and navigate complex social dynamics. Each week, we present a different full-length audiobook, offering a diverse range of perspectives, time periods, and storytelling styles. Listeners can expect to gain insight into the human condition while enjoying the humor and wit that such tales bring. With new books added weekly, ...

In one of Shakespeares most provocative comedies, The Merchant of Venice, we follow the ambitious Bassanio as he devises an audacious plan to win the heart of the wealthy heiress, Portia, by borrowing money from the shrewd Jewish moneylender, Shylock. When the loan goes unpaid, Bassanios friend Antonio, the titular Merchant, finds himself in peril, facing a grim fate due to his friends extravagant schemes. As tensions rise and a court case unfolds, the plays heroines must step up to untangle the chaos created by their partners. Join us for this dynamic group recording, completed in just two ...

Is it a Shakespearean play? Most likely not, but this intriguing comedy, found in a volume labeled Shakespeare in Charles IIs library, certainly captivates. C. F. Tucker Brooke featured it in his 1818 collection of Shakespeare Apocrypha as one of 14 possible plays attributed to the Bard. With William the Conqueror in disguise and Fair Em revealing unexpected layers, this delightful tale offers a blend of humor and clever twists. - Summary by ToddHW

Cymbeline is one of Shakespeare's late romances, which (like The Tempest and The Winter's Tale) combines comedy and tragedy. Imogen, the daughter of King Cymbeline of Britain, angers her father when she marries Posthumus, a worthy but penniless gentleman. The King banishes Posthumus, who goes to Rome, where he falls prey to the machinations of Iachimo, who tries to convince him that Imogen will be unfaithful. Meanwhile, the Queen (Imogen's stepmother) plots against her stepdaughter by trying to plan a match between Imogen and her worthless son Cloten. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett)Cast:Arviragus...

Dive into the whimsical world of Twelfth Night, where hidden identities and romantic entanglements lead to a delightful tapestry of love, laughter, and mischief. This enchanting comedy features an array of colorful characters navigating the complexities of affection, friendship, and playful pranks. Join us for a journey filled with both requited and unrequited love, as the charming narrative unfolds in a vibrant setting. (Summary by Karen Savage)

In a twist of fate, local drunkard Christopher Sly stumbles into a tavern, where hes drawn into an elaborate charade that convinces him hes a nobleman! Thus unfolds the captivating tale of The Taming of the Shrew, one of Shakespeares renowned comedies. To entertain this newfound lord, a group of actors reenacts a story of love, rivalry, and transformation, where the enchanting Bianca attracts the attention of numerous suitors. However, her father has a condition the fiery Katherina, the shrew of the play, must find a suitable match first. Enter Petruchio, a determined suitor who will go to any...

Dive into the comedic world of The Taming of the Shrew, one of Shakespeares earliest masterpieces, influenced by Roman comedy and the lively Italian commedia dellarte. Set in Padua, we meet Baptista Minola, a wealthy gentleman with two daughters the fiery Katherina, notorious for her sharp wit, and the sweet Bianca, desired by many suitors. Baptistas decree that Bianca cannot marry until Katherina finds a husband sets the stage for a series of comedic events. Enter Petruchio, determined to wive it wealthily in Padua, who is convinced by Biancas suitors to take on the challenge of wooing ...