King Lear cover art

King Lear

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King Lear

By: William Shakespeare
Narrated by: Paul Scofield, Alec McCowen, Kenneth Branagh
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About this listen

The tragedy of King Lear receives an outstanding performance in an all-star cast led by Britain’s senior classical actor, Paul Scofield. He is joined by Alec McCowen as Gloucester, Kenneth Branagh as The Fool, Harriet Walter as Gonerill, Sara Kestelman as Regan and Emilia Fox as Cordelia. This is the 9th recording of Shakespeare plays undertaken by Naxos AudioBooks in conjunction with Cambridge University Press, and is directed by John Tydeman. It was released to mark the 80th birthday of Paul Scofield in January 2002.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2002 CUP (P)2002 Naxos AudioBooks Classics Drama & Plays Shakespeare Royalty King

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I enjoyed this audiobook/play. The story is intriguing and nuanced. It delves deep into family relationships, pride and greed for power and control. The play was put across with passion and the characters were very believable. However through little fault of the actors I found it very hard to follow especially towards the end. The plot is so complex and obviously in audiobook format it isn't always clear who is speaking! I have listened to Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's dream both of which I found good and could follow easier King Lear however was a lot harder. I'm not convinced Shakespeare really works in audiobook format unless you are already very familiar with the plot of the play and the characters.

Good but hard to follow.

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The best Lear and Fool - worth the entrance fee alone. Teaching this to secondary school students is challenging - the Fool is an especially difficult role to grasp. Branagh’s performance is just so brilliantly pitched - makes my job easier. Schofield knew Lear - was Lear. It’s an excellent production. A few weak moments - and an editing glitch in Act 4 but that doesn’t matter. Whilst you’re at it - check out Michael Sheen’s Hamlet. Wonderful.

Schofield and Kenneth Branagh

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This is not actually an Unabridged recording. There are many scenes where lines are skipped, including large swathes of Act 3 Scene 6 and Act 4 Scene 2, and the entirity of Act 4 Scene 3.

Not unabridged

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What made the experience of listening to King Lear the most enjoyable?

The awesome over the top performance of the titular king.

What was one of the most memorable moments of King Lear?

The first scene with King Lear and his daughters sticks in the mind.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favourite?

King Lear

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

This is the excellent foppery of the world that when we are sick in fortune—often the surfeit of our own behavior—we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars, as if we were villains by necessity, fools by heavenly compulsion, knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance, drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence, and all that we are evil in by a divine thrusting-on. An admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition to the charge of a star!

Any additional comments?

Don't be layin' no goats on stars.

Best over the top acting ever.

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