Reviews-

• 

  March 2, 1998
  Adults looking for a dramatically abridged version of Shakespeare's tragic love story with some lovely backdrops of Verona may find something to savor in Early's (Sleeping Beauty; William Tell) picture-book rendition. She gives a nod to several medieval fresco artists and to such Renaissance painters as Michelangelo and Botticelli, whose ornate patterns and borders may well be the inspiration for her paintings. A sharp attention to detail-- including the exquisite geometric designs of palace floors, elaborate period dress, authentic Verona streetscapes and the delicate strands of Juliet's golden tresses--distinguishes Early's art, but the lovers' faces are mask-like, and even the most dramatic of scenes appear to be static. Early's narrative paraphrases the action of this drama while showcasing some of the most legendary lines from the Bard's quill. But these clunky juxtapositions detract from Shakespeare's own words, as in this example: "Lord Capulet replied that Juliet was too young . Why not wait a little longer? `Let two more summers wither in their pride ere we may think her ripe to be a bride,' he entreated." Children will be better off waiting for the original--and adults better off returning to it. All ages.

• Jim Weiss has a knack for selecting texts that children are unlikely to read and bringing them alive for young listeners. He takes the words of historical figures and contextualizes their famous speech with lively story. Here, Weiss chooses to tell--in story form-- one of the Bard's most famous tragedies, with interesting results. Clearly he's not a student of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his mildly English accents are occasionally a little comical. However, this production offers a good introduction to Shakespeare (with Weiss providing interesting background on the writer) and to one of his most famous plays, and both my 7- and 11-year-old daughters listened along intently. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
• Romance is passion and all the action that accompanies it--kissing, shoving, loving, screaming, stroking, crying, bleeding, dying. In performance literature real voices emote real feelings as we listen.But then, whom are we really listening to? Each of us is listening in part to ourselves, giving our interpretation to the text: Juliet hears a nightingale while Romeo hears a lark. So the question naturally arises as to why someone would want to silently read a play, rather than hear it performed by skilled actors, who have an intelligent interpretation already mastered and whose words mesh with one another's in an artistic whole that can help us with our own interpretation. Kenneth Branagh and The Renaissance Theatre Company provide us simple folk with the lush richness of romantic speech in all its tumult and tension. Real voices asserting their characters' lives interacting with each other and with us, the happy voyeurs of sound. Silent print has not a chance against such energies. P.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
• Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona--so begins one of the most famous and most beloved plays in the English language, ROMEO AND JULIET. But for the modern high school student, the emotional nuances, bawdy puns, and sixteenth-century references can be a overwhelming. SMART PASS and the engaging and energetic "pass master," Joan Walker, come to the rescue with detailed, understandable, and entertaining audio explications of the language, plot, theme, and history behind almost every stanza. Along the way, a talented full cast presents the play in its entirety with grace and clarity. The listener is encouraged to pause the program and let the words and lessons sink in. A valuable tool for anyone interested in digging a little deeper into the Bard's timeless work. B.P. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Title Information+

• Publisher

  L.A. Theatre Works

• OverDrive Listen

  Release date:

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