Hamlet

Experience the heartrending dark humor of HAMLET in this CBC broadcast. Though definitely of the Old-Time Radio variety in sound and format, the penetrating depth of the performances and the passion of the players provide timeless tragedy. The production manages to envelop the listener in its shroud of drama and brilliant writing, defining the chilling and eerie passages for which the play is known. Time seems to stand still as Peter Haworth as Hamlet emotes his suicidal sarcasm. Listen to this audio theater gem during the gloomy dusk, and you may be heard to say, "Though this be madness, yet there is method in't." D.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

This BBC Radio presentation combines a full cast--featuring Kenneth Branagh in the title role--with stirring music and sound effects to bring this lengthy, difficult play to life. A number of production touches help the listener. Seven of the eight cassette sides end with the conclusion of a scene, and appropriate music signals the end of each act. In addition, a twenty-four-page booklet offers insight into each character as seen by the actor who plays each part. Listeners would benefit, however, from a brief synopsis of each scene, as well as mention of the characters who appear in them. P.B.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Listening to Hamlet again, one is struck by how many of the play's lines have become etched in our collective memory--from the Dane's early soliloquies to his humorous exchange with the grave digger in the final act. It's all here in this recording, of course, and the acting is largely excellent. Bob Peck as Claudius stands out in particular, while Simon Russell Beale's Hamlet does, perchance, put on a little too much antic disposition. It's also accompanied by the usual Arkangel signatures--helpful scene summaries in the liner notes and appropriate original music. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

It's hard for any director to make HAMLET sound new, so Naxos has done the opposite: they've made it sound old. This is a remastered version of a 1948 performance with John Gielgud in the title role. Though the sound quality is better than you'd expect, some of the dramaturgy seems outdated now, and the actress playing Ophelia is noticeably weak. But Gielgud overpowers any shortcomings, demonstrating why he owned this role during his career and why all subsequent Hamlets try to measure up to him. In the music of his voice, all the play's famous soliloquies and witty exchanges that you've heard a dozen times before suddenly sound freshâ an ironic pleasure in a sixty-year-old recording. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Simon Russell Beale portrays the tragic Prince of Denmark in Shakespeare's most quoted play, with actress Imogen Stubbs playing the fair Ophelia. This production of HAMLET, produced exclusively for the Archangel Shakespeare audio collection, is a gem worthy of repeated listening. Paul Jesson provides a beautifully dramatic, but strangely un-ghostly, soliloquy as the King's ghost. Also in the cast are Jane Lapotaire as Gertrude, Bob Peck as the murderous and incestuous Claudius, and the late Norman Rodway as the garrulous Polonius. Music composed by Dominique Le Gendre supplies evocative interludes between scenes, and a handy printed insert provides a track list, cast list, and scene-by-scene summary of the play. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

This American-accented HAMLET is a churning, turbulent production with many fine moments resulting from its fast pace. This energy may inevitably lead to a few missed opportunities for quiet and meditation (or for the listener to have a respite), but the overall effect is satisfying. The greatest range is shown by Emily Swallow as Ophelia. Stacy Keach is also excellent--imposing, chilling, and nuanced as the ghost. Josh Stamberg plays Hamlet as tormented and confrontational. One of his finest touches enhances the outset of the recorder scene with restraint and calm. Listeners who follow along with a text of the play will best keep up with the rapid pace. G.H. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine