In Shakespeare’s most controversial play, the opposing values of justice and mercy must be resolved. Antonio promises money to help his friend Bassanio woo Portia. He borrows the sum needed from the cruel Shylock, but there will be a dreadful penalty if the loan is not repaid.
The golden world of Portia’s Belmont calls forth some of Shakespeare’s most lyrical love poetry. But the dark shadow of Shylock is never far from the heart of this brilliant comedy as it moves toward its courtroom climax.
Portia is played by Hadyn Gwynne and Shylock by Trevor Peacock. Julian Rhind-Tutt is Bassanio, and Bill Nighy is Antonio.
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“Transforming any play into sound alone is a challenge, and one that is met by this Arkangel production…All the actors give strong performances…Trevor Peacock’s portrayal of Shylock stands out among those of a solid cast. Peacock uses a sly voice for Shylock, saving his best for the comedy’s climactic courtroom scene.”
— AudioFile
“A masterpiece of dramatic skill…The legal acuteness, the passionate declamations, the sound maxims of jurisprudence, the wit and irony interspersed in it, the fluctuations of hope and fear in the different persons, and the completeness and suddenness of the catastrophe, cannot be surpassed.”
— William Hazlett, Shakespearean critic, on the courtroom scene in Act IVWilliam Shakespeare (1564–1616), English poet and dramatist of the Elizabethan and early Jacobean period, is the most widely known author in all of English literature and often considered the greatest. He was an active member of a theater company for at least twenty years, during which time he wrote many great plays. Plays were not prized as literature at the time and Shakespeare was not widely read until the middle of the eighteenth century, when a great upsurge of interest in his works began that continues today.
Travis Baldree has been in love with the art of narration since first hearing Frank Muller’s audio work. An AudioFile Earphones Award winner, he has a versatile voice and a facility for character and dialog. Travis also runs a successful video game studio.
Robert Kiyosaki is best known as the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad—the bestselling personal finance book that has challenged and changed the way tens of millions of people around the world manage their finances . An investor, entrepreneur, and educator, his perspectives on money and investing fly in the face of conventional wisdom. In 1994 he sold his business and, through his investments, was able to retire at the age of forty-seven.
Robert Kiyosaki is best known as the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad—the bestselling personal finance book that has challenged and changed the way tens of millions of people around the world manage their finances . An investor, entrepreneur, and educator, his perspectives on money and investing fly in the face of conventional wisdom. In 1994 he sold his business and, through his investments, was able to retire at the age of forty-seven.
Bleak December Inc. is a multimedia company founded by Canadian actor and filmmaker Anthony D.P. Mann.
Julian Rhind-Tutt is an actor and voice artist. His audiobook narrations have earned five AudioFile Earphones Awards, and he has been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award. His film appearances include roles in The Madness of King George, The Saint, Les Misérables, Notting Hill, and Tomorrow Never Dies, while his television credits include Reckless, Dangerfield, and Richard II. His stage work includes Editing Process, The Way of the World, Catherine Howard, and as the Duke of York in The Madness of George III. He is also the recipient of the Carlton Hobbs Award from BBC Radio.