Comedic plays
HarperCollins Publishers Pygmalion Collins Classics
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.George Bernard Shaw's classic play and satire of the British class system, first performed in 1913.
£5.68
HarperCollins Publishers Twelfth Night
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.If music be the food of love, play on;Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,The appetite may sicken, and so die.'A comedic romance of mistaken identity, Twelfth Night begins with a shipwreck, splitting up Viola and her twin brother, Sebastian. Alone in a strange land, Viola disguises herself as a male servant, Cesario, in order to work for the Duke Orsino. Orsino is in love with Lady Olivia, but it is Cesario that Olivia falls for. A farcical tale of misplaced love, confusion, gender-swapping and aspiration, Twelfth Night remains one of Shakespeare's best-loved and inventive comedies.
£5.02
Pan Macmillan The Taming of the Shrew
Book SynopsisControversial and sexually charged, The Taming of the Shrew is possibly Shakespeare's first play, and certainly among the most performed. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is illustrated throughout by Sir John Gilbert, and includes an introduction by Ned Halley.Petruchio's courtship of the unwilling 'shrew' Katherina poses the question: is it an examination of brute male domination or a passionate love story with a powerful moral message? To read it is to gain unique insight into a portrait of a marriage as created by a true master.Trade ReviewEvery generation continues to be in his debt. Shakespeare’s plots, which are brilliantly polyvalent, continue to inspire ceaseless adaptations and spin-offs. His unforgettable phrase-making recurs on the lips of millions who do not realise they are quoting Shakespeare * Guardian *
£9.49
Pan Macmillan Twelfth Night
Book SynopsisShakespeare’s gentle melancholy, enlivened by a comic sub-plot of considerable accomplishment, has long made Twelfth Night a favourite with Shakespearian audiences.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is illustrated throughout by Sir John Gilbert, and includes an introduction by Dr Robert Mighall.Separated from her twin brother Sebastian after a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a boy to serve the Duke of Illyria. Wooing a countess on his behalf, she is stunned to find herself the object of his beloved's affections. With the arrival of Viola's brother, and a trick played upon Malvolio, the countess's steward, confusion reigns in this romantic comedy of mistaken identity.Trade ReviewEvery generation continues to be in his debt. Shakespeare’s plots, which are brilliantly polyvalent, continue to inspire ceaseless adaptations and spin-offs. His unforgettable phrase-making recurs on the lips of millions who do not realise they are quoting Shakespeare * Guardian *
£9.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Beauty Queen Of Leenane
Book SynopsisThe Beauty Queen of Leenane tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a plain and lonely woman in her early forties, and Mag her manipulative ageing mother whose interference in Maureen's first and potentially last loving relationship sets in motion a train of events that is as gothically funny as it is horrific.Trade Review'He (McDonagh) offers all the familiar delights of farce and melodrama, while at the same time offering a powerful critique of contemporary Ireland.' Michael Billington, Guardian, 22.07.10 'Martin McDonagh's play...is not the callous thing that we often hail as;black comedy', but a richly human illustration of that tragicomic paradox. If it wasn't so funny it would be squalid' Libby Purves, The Times, 22.07.10 'The dramatic tension McDonagh creates is brilliantly sustained, while the sudden twists and turns of the plot elicit genuine gasps of surprise from the audience.' Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph, 23.07.10 'His (McDonagh's) ear for the Irish rhythms and the absurdities of everyday speech is matchless.' Georgina Brown, Mail on Sunday, 01.08.10 'Martin McDonagh is one of the top playwrights to have emerged in the 1990's' Patrick Marmion, Daily Mail, 06.08.10
£10.44
HarperCollins Publishers A Midsummer Nights Dream
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.My Oberon! what visions have I seen!Methought I was enamoured of an ass.'When four young lovers flee from Athens and become lost in an enchanted wood, they stumble into a fairy world where King Oberon, and Queen Titania, are feuding over ownership of a young Indian prince. Seeking his revenge on Titania, Oberon and his servant Puck begin a magical, yet farcical chain of events where all become interwoven in a comedic and mischievous play about the difficulties of love.
£5.62
Penguin Books Ltd The Taming of the Shrew
Book SynopsisWilliam Shakespeare was born in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and died in 1616. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. Stanley Wells is Emeritus Professor of the University of Birmingham and Honorary President of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.Margaret Jane Kidnie is Professor of English at the University of Western Ontario.
£7.59
Alma Books Ltd The Government Inspector: New Translation: Newly
Book SynopsisThe mayor and local officials of a small provincial town in Russia have got it made: corruption is rife and they have all the power. Yet, when they learn that an undercover government inspector is about to make a visit, they face a mad dash to cover their tracks. Soon, the news that a suspicious person has recently arrived from St Petersburg and is staying in a local inn produces a series of events and misunderstandings that lead to a hilarious dénouement. Often quoted as Russian literature’s greatest comedy, The Government Inspector is a trenchant satire of the corruption, greed and stupidity of petty officialdom, and the crowning achievement of Gogol’s skills as a playwright.Trade ReviewRoger Cockrell’s freer and livelier versions, of which there are many more examples, mean that any company planning a new production of the play would be well advised to use this fresh, highly actable (and, for good measure, attractively produced) translation of Gogol’s timeless classic. * East-West Review *Roger Cockrell goes straight for the funny bone. His characters speak their truths in intoxicating, colourful English. […] This reader of Roger Cockrell's lively and hilarious Government Inspector cannot wait to see it staged. * TLS *
£7.59
Pan Macmillan A Midsummer Night's Dream
Book SynopsisGorgeous, strange and magical, A Midsummer Night's Dream is perhaps the best-loved of Shakespeare's plays. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is illustrated throughout by Sir John Gilbert, and includes an introduction by Ned Halley.A young woman flees Athens with her lover, only to be pursued by her would-be husband and her best friend. Unwittingly, all four find themselves in an enchanted forest where fairies and sprites soon take an interest in human affairs, dispensing love potions and casting mischievous spells. In this dazzling comedy, confusion ends in harmony, as love is transformed, misplaced, and – ultimately – restored.Trade ReviewEvery generation continues to be in his debt. Shakespeare’s plots, which are brilliantly polyvalent, continue to inspire ceaseless adaptations and spin-offs. His unforgettable phrase-making recurs on the lips of millions who do not realise they are quoting Shakespeare * Guardian *
£9.49
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Clouds
Book SynopsisClouds has always fascinated students of philosophy because of its portrayal of Socrates as an atheist and a teacher of dishonest rhetoric, justly punished by the agents of the gods whom he refuses to recognise. [Greek text with facing translation, commentary and notes. 2007 reprint of the 1991 third edition, with addenda and a new bibliography.]Trade Review‘For an overall series of the entire corpus, including critical text, commentary, translation, and full introduction, all subsumed to one man’s intelligent analysis and wide-ranging scholarship, Sommerstein stands triumphantly alone. [...] Aristophanes is lucky to have so devoted, erudite, and witty a modern celebrant.’Scholia‘This work is a fine and unpretentious introduction to Aristophanic comedy.’Journal of Hellenic Studies'Sommerstein has exercised throughout the refreshing independence of judgement, backed by learning.’JACTTable of ContentsPrefaceAddenda 2007Select BibliographyBibliography to CloudsReferences and AbbreviationsCLOUDS Introductory Note Select Bibliography Note on the Text Sigla Text and Translation Notes
£27.99
HarperCollins Publishers As You Like It Collins Classics
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.All the world''s a stage,And all the men and women merely players.'Featuring Rosalind, one of Shakespeare's most likeable and strong female protagonists, As You Like It is a comedic play centred around concealed identity, love, exile and artifice. Banished from the court by her uncle, Rosalind flees to the forest with her cousin Celia and her jester, joining her already exiled father, and disguising herself as a boy. In the guise of a young man, she instructs her would-be lover Orlando in the ways of love and in doing so allows Shakespeare to explore the dynamics of the city and the country as well as the sexual politics of the time.
£5.68
HarperCollins Publishers Much ADO about Nothing
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.'One of Shakespeare's most witty and enjoyable comedies, Much Ado About Nothing is a play that explores courtship, romance and marriage through a number of relationships. Most famously, that of the irrepressible Beatrice and Benedick as they trade their wits against one another, criticising the notion of marriage, yet slowly falling in love with one another as they do so.
£5.05
HarperCollins Publishers Twelfth Night
Book SynopsisBuild your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right levelEnjoy the hilarity and mischief amidst the mistaken identities, mixed messages and cross dressing in this wonderful retelling of William Shakespeare's comedy play by Celia Rees. As all the characters get their wires crossed, and fall in love with the wrong people, time is running out to reveal their true identities before they head to the church!Diamond/Band 17 books offer more complex, underlying themes to give opportunities for children to understand causes and points of view.
£10.67
HarperCollins Publishers Pygmalion Collins Classics
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.George Bernard Shaw's classic play and satire of the British class system, first performed in 1913.
£8.20
Penguin Books Ltd Twelfth Night
Book Synopsis''If music be the food of love, play on,Give me excess of it''Separated from her twin brother Sebastian after a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a boy to serve the Duke Orsino. Wooing a countess on his behalf, she is stunned to find herself the object of her affections. Amorous intrigues, practical jokes, sexual confusion and riotous disorder ensue in this lyrical, hugely popular romantic comedy, which shows both the delights and the perils of desire. Used and Recommended by the National TheatreGeneral Editor Stanley WellsEdited by M. M. MahoodIntroduction by Michael Dobson
£7.59
Columbia University Press A TopsyTurvy World
Book SynopsisA Topsy-Turvy World presents English translations of shorter late Ming and early Qing plays. Satirical and often earthy, these mostly one-act plays provide a glimpse of Chinese daily life and mores even as they question or subvert the boundaries of social, moral, and political order.Trade ReviewThis treasure box of eleven short plays, most available in English for the first time, will delight anyone interested in early modern Chinese drama, culture, and society. Ranging from Buddhist charades to human puppet shows, from sword dances to drag masquerades, these thematically diverse and inventive plays are admirably translated with erudition and panache. -- Judith Zeitlin, author of The Phantom Heroine: Ghosts and Gender in Seventeenth-Century Chinese LiteratureA splendid expansion of the canon of traditional Chinese drama translations—the short plays offer a riotous deep dive into a world of laughter, while the scholarly commentary succinctly explores some of the fault lines of the early modern imagination. -- Patricia Sieber, coeditor of How to Read Chinese Drama in Chinese A Language CompanionA brilliant collection of rare and original works that provides a broad and varied view of Chinese performance traditions. The dominant leitmotif of these translations is the ingenuity and audacity with which writers subvert convention while questioning the sociopolitical order. -- Regina Llamas, translator of Top Graduate Zhang Xie: The Earliest Extant Chinese Southern PlayZaju plays of the Ming and Qing dynasties have long been a neglected area both in China and elsewhere. For that reason, this anthology is a timely translation. It provides new materials not only for general readers interested in premodern Chinese zaju plays but also for students and scholars to engage in further studies of the genre. -- Hongchu Fu, author of Chinese DramaTable of ContentsIntroductionTable of Dynasties1. Cracking a Dumb Chan Riddle2. The Mad Drummer: Thrice-Played Yuyang3. Chan Master Yu Has a Dream of Cuixiang4. Real Puppets5. Sublime Jokes from the Back of Beyond6. Pinning Flowers in His Coiffure7. A Song for a Laugh8. Ramblings with Magicians in Lyrics and Songs9. Black and White Donkeys10. Zaju from the Studio of Singing on the Wind11. Song of Dragon Well TeaAppendix: A List of Short Plays from the Period 1400 to 1850 Already Available in English TranslationContributorsReferences
£120.00
Columbia University Press A TopsyTurvy World
Book SynopsisA Topsy-Turvy World presents English translations of shorter late Ming and early Qing plays. Satirical and often earthy, these mostly one-act plays provide a glimpse of Chinese daily life and mores even as they question or subvert the boundaries of social, moral, and political order.Trade ReviewThis treasure box of eleven short plays, most available in English for the first time, will delight anyone interested in early modern Chinese drama, culture, and society. Ranging from Buddhist charades to human puppet shows, from sword dances to drag masquerades, these thematically diverse and inventive plays are admirably translated with erudition and panache. -- Judith Zeitlin, author of The Phantom Heroine: Ghosts and Gender in Seventeenth-Century Chinese LiteratureA splendid expansion of the canon of traditional Chinese drama translations—the short plays offer a riotous deep dive into a world of laughter, while the scholarly commentary succinctly explores some of the fault lines of the early modern imagination. -- Patricia Sieber, coeditor of How to Read Chinese Drama in Chinese A Language CompanionA brilliant collection of rare and original works that provides a broad and varied view of Chinese performance traditions. The dominant leitmotif of these translations is the ingenuity and audacity with which writers subvert convention while questioning the sociopolitical order. -- Regina Llamas, translator of Top Graduate Zhang Xie: The Earliest Extant Chinese Southern PlayZaju plays of the Ming and Qing dynasties have long been a neglected area both in China and elsewhere. For that reason, this anthology is a timely translation. It provides new materials not only for general readers interested in premodern Chinese zaju plays but also for students and scholars to engage in further studies of the genre. -- Hongchu Fu, author of Chinese DramaTable of ContentsIntroductionTable of Dynasties1. Cracking a Dumb Chan Riddle2. The Mad Drummer: Thrice-Played Yuyang3. Chan Master Yu Has a Dream of Cuixiang4. Real Puppets5. Sublime Jokes from the Back of Beyond6. Pinning Flowers in His Coiffure7. A Song for a Laugh8. Ramblings with Magicians in Lyrics and Songs9. Black and White Donkeys10. Zaju from the Studio of Singing on the Wind11. Song of Dragon Well TeaAppendix: A List of Short Plays from the Period 1400 to 1850 Already Available in English TranslationContributorsReferences
£32.30
Pan Macmillan Valparaiso
Book SynopsisIn Valparaiso, a breathtaking play from Don DeLillo, a man sets out on what he imagines will be an ordinary business trip to Valparaiso, Indiana. It proves to be anything but run-of-the-mill, turning instead into a mock-heroic journey toward identity and transcendence. Valparaiso is a funny, sharp and deeply satirical look at our information age. This is the way we talk to each other today. This is the way we tell each other things, in public, before listening millions, that we don't dare say privately. Nothing is allowed to be unseen. Nothing remains unread. And everything melts repeatedly into something else, as if driven by the finger on the TV remote. This is also a play that makes obsessive poetry out of the language of routine airline announcements and the flow of endless information.Trade ReviewValparaiso is art at its finest. * Boston Globe *A play that crawls into the most carefully protected corners of one’s consciousness—gorgeous, frightening, stunningly poetic, wickedly funny, surprisingly voluptuous and poetic. * Chicago Sun-Times *
£12.84
Bloomsbury Academic Stephenson Plays 1 1 A Memory of Water Five Kinds
Book SynopsisThis collection of Shelagh Stephenson plays offers her Olivier award-winning work - "A Memory of Water", "Five Kinds of Silence", "Experiment with an Air Pump", and "Ancient Lights".Table of ContentsA Memory of Water; Five Kinds of Silence; An Experiment with an Air Pump; Ancient Lights
£20.89
Transworld Publishers Ltd Men At Arms Playtext
Book SynopsisScarcely a year on from the events of Guards! Guards!, the Ankh-Morpork City Night Watch find their services are once more needed to tackle a threat to their city. A threat at least as deadly as a 60-foot dragon, but mechanical and heartless to boot. It kills without compunction. It is the first gun on the Discworld. The original Watch - Captain Vimes, Sergeant Colon, Corporal Carrot and Corporal Nobbs - are joined by some new recruits, selected to reflect the city''s ethnic make-up - Lance-Constable Cuddy (a dwarf), Detritus (a troll) and Angua (a w..., well, best to find out for yourself).
£11.69
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc Alchemist
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Acharnians Aris Phillips Classical
Book SynopsisThe earliest surviving comic drama, Acharnians is a highly committed play. Its message is that Athens war with the Peloponnesians can and should be ended, and that peace will mean the restoration of normal life. First published in 1980, this edition has been updated, and presents the Greek text with facing-page translation, commentary and notes.Trade Review‘For an overall series of the entire corpus, including critical text, commentary, translation, and full introduction, all subsumed to one man’s intelligent analysis and wide-ranging scholarship, Sommerstein stands triumphantly alone. […] Aristophanes is lucky to have so devoted, erudite, and witty a modern celebrant.’ ScholiaTable of ContentsPrefaceAbbreviationsGENERAL INTRODUCTIONI. AristophanesII. Aristophanic ComedyIII. ProductionIV. Transmission Notes to General IntroductionACHARNIANSIntroductory NoteNote on the TextSiglaText and TranslationSELECT BIBLIOGRAPHYADDENDA
£25.29
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Knights
Book SynopsisIn the first play he produced on his own behalf, Aristophanes launched a violent attack on Cleon, the leading politician of the day, on the whole style of leadership that he represented and on a system which seemed to guarantee that a bad leader could be displaced by a worse. Text with facing translation, commentary and notes.Trade Review‘For an overall series of the entire corpus, including critical text, commentary, translation, and full introduction, all subsumed to one man’s intelligent analysis and wide-ranging scholarship, Sommerstein stands triumphantly alone. […] Aristophanes is lucky to have so devoted, erudite, and witty a modern celebrant.’ Scholia'Sommerstein has exercised throughout the refreshing independence of judgement, backed by learning.’ JACT‘This work is a fine and unpretentious introduction to Aristophanic comedy.’Journal of Hellenic StudiesTable of ContentsPrefaceReferences and AbbreviationsKNIGHTS Introductory Note Note on the Text Sigla Text and Translation Notes
£25.29
Liverpool University Press Alcestis Classical Texts Aris Phillips Classical
Book SynopsisAlcestis is the only tragedy known to have been produced in the position usually allotted (at the Athenian tragic festivals) to the semi-comic satyr-play. Although it has a happy ending, opinions differ widely on the meaning of this beautifully constructed little masterpiece. Greek text with facing translation, introduction and commentary.Trade Review‘The introduction is informative, sensible and perceptive… commentary is up to date, learned, informative and often perceptive.’JACTTable of ContentsGeneral Editor’s ForewordAcknowledgementsUpdated General BibliographyBibliography to Alcestis Introduction to Alcestis I. Ancient information II. The myth and its adaptation Bibliography to Alcestis III. The play and its problems: i. Genre and tone ii. Themes and structure iii. The treatment of Admetus iv. Some other views v. Visual aspects IV. The TextNotes to Introduction to AlcestisText and TranslationCommentaryIndex
£25.29
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Birds
Book SynopsisBirds differs from other surviving plays of Aristophanes in having no obvious connection with a topical question. Instead, satire is kept firmly subordinate to fantasy; and as fantasy Birds has no rival in what we possess of Greek literature, until we reach Lucian nearly six centuries later. Greek text with facing translation and commentary.Trade Review‘For an overall series of the entire corpus, including critical text, commentary, translation, and full introduction, all subsumed to one man’s intelligent analysis and wide-ranging scholarship, Sommerstein stands triumphantly alone. […] Aristophanes is lucky to have so devoted, erudite, and witty a modern celebrant.’ ScholiaTable of ContentsPrefaceReferences and AbbreviationsBIRDS Introductory Note Select Bibliography Note on the Text Sigla Text and Translation Notes
£29.99
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Lysistrata
Book SynopsisLysistrata is the third and last of Aristophanes' peace plays. It is a dream of peace, of how the women could help to achieve an honourable settlement, conceived when Athens was going through its most desperate crisis since the Persian War. This fully annotated English translation of the play presents facing translation, commentary and notes.Trade Review‘The scholarship and broad appeal of Sommerstein’s Lysistrata will commend it to individuals and libraries alike.’ Classical WorldTable of ContentsPrefaceAddenda 2007Select BibliographyBibliography to LysistrataReferences & AbbreviationsLYSISTRATA Introductory Note Note on the Text SiglaText and TranslationNotes
£25.29
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Thesmophoriazusae
Book SynopsisThesmophoriazusae is perhaps the funniest of all Aristophanes’ comedies, in which gender inversion and transvestism run riot as the tragic dramatist Euripides is made to take part in a hilarious spoof on some of his own favourite plot lines. This edition, updated in 2013, presents the Greek text with facing-page translation, commentary and notes.Trade Review‘For an overall series of the entire corpus, including critical text, commentary, translation, and full introduction, all subsumed to one man’s intelligent analysis and wide-ranging scholarship, Sommerstein stands triumphantly alone. […] Aristophanes is lucky to have so devoted, erudite, and witty a modern celebrant.’ ScholiaTable of ContentsPREFACE References and Abbreviations a. Collections of Fragments b. Abbreviations: Ancient Authors and Works c. Abbreviations: Modern Authors and Publications d. Metrical Symbols INTRODUCTORY NOTE Select Bibliography Note on the Text Sigla Dramatis Personae THESMOPHORIAZUSAE Text and Translation CRITICAL APPARATUS COMMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY ADDENDA
£27.99
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Frogs
Book SynopsisProduced in 405 BC, Frogs contains the earliest sustained piece of literary criticism in the Western tradition - the contest for the throne of tragedy between Euripides and Aeschylus. This edition is the first to combine a reliable English translation of Frogs with a full explanatory commentary; it also includes a freshly constituted Greek text.Trade Review‘For an overall series of the entire corpus, including critical text, commentary, translation, and full introduction, all subsumed to one man’s intelligent analysis and wide-ranging scholarship, Sommerstein stands triumphantly alone. […] Aristophanes is lucky to have so devoted, erudite, and witty a modern celebrant.’ScholiaTable of ContentsPrefaceReferences and AbbreviationsIntroductionSelect Bibliography Aristophanes FrogsNote on the TextSiglaFROGS:Dramatis PersonaeText and TranslationCommentary
£30.29
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Ecclesiazusae
Book SynopsisEcclesiazusae is a typically Aristophanic fantasy of gender inversion, obscenity and farce, and the earliest surviving work in the western Utopian tradition. This edition, with facing translation and commentary, sets the play in its political context, and defines the details of staging as precisely as the text will allow.Trade Review‘All in all, this book is a great source of knowledge and will be very helpful for anyone who studies Ecclesiazusae.’Classical Review‘For an overall series of the entire corpus, including critical text, commentary, translation, and full introduction, all subsumed to one man’s intelligent analysis and wide-ranging scholarship, Sommerstein stands triumphantly alone. […] Aristophanes is lucky to have so devoted, erudite, and witty a modern celebrant.’ScholiaTable of ContentsAddenda 2007Updated General BibliographyPrefaceReferences and AbbreviationsIntroduction Bibliography to Ecclesiazusae Note on the Text SiglaText and TranslationCommentary
£25.29
Liverpool University Press Aristophanes Peace 05 Aris Phillips Classical
Book SynopsisIn Peace, produced in 421 B.C., Aristophanes celebrates in anticipation the conclusion, after ten years, of the great war between Athens and Sparta. This volume presents the Greek text with facing-page translation, commentary and notes. The second edition has been substantially updated with extensive addenda to the Notes and Bibliography.Trade Review'College and university libraries should own a copy for students and faculty looking for a current, comprehensive bibliography to the play.'Martha Habash, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2007‘For an overall series of the entire corpus, including critical text, commentary, translation, and full introduction, all subsumed to one man’s intelligent analysis and wide-ranging scholarship, Sommerstein stands triumphantly alone. […] Aristophanes is lucky to have so devoted, erudite, and witty a modern celebrant.’ ScholiaTable of ContentsPrefaceReferences and AbbreviationsPEACE Introductory Note Note on the Text Sigla Text and Translation Notes Addenda including Bibliography
£25.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Ladies in Lavender
Book SynopsisShaun McKenna is an award-winning British writer. Prolific and versatile, his work ranges from theatre plays to prime-time TV, West End musicals to documentaries, arena shows to classic radio adaptations.
£10.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Mates in Chelsea
Book SynopsisRory Mullarkey's original plays include Pity, The Wolf from the Door (Royal Court Theatre), Saint George and the Dragon (Royal National Theatre), Each Slow Dusk (Pentabus Theatre/UK Tour), Cannibals, Single Sex (Royal Exchange, Manchester), The Grandfathers (National Theatre Connections, then Bristol Old Vic/National Theatre) and On the Threshing Floor (Heat & Light Company, Hampstead Theatre). His adaptations/translations include The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov (Bristol Old Vic/Manchester Royal Exchange), The Oresteia by Aeschylus (Shakespeare's Globe) and Remembrance Day by Aleksey Scherbak (Royal Court). He has written the libretti for The Skating Rink by David Sawer (Garsington Opera), Coraline by Mark-Anthony Turnage (Royal Opera House) and The Way Back Home by Joanna Lee (ENO/Young Vic). He has won the Abraham Woursell Prize (co-winner 2017), the James Tait Black Prize for
£10.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC To Have and To Hold
Book SynopsisRichard Bean: In 2011 Richard became the first playwright to win the Evening Standard Award for Best Play for two plays, The Heretic and One Man, Two Guvnors. The New York production of One Man, Two Guvnors was awarded the 2012 Outer Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Play. His credits include Kiss Me (Hampstead), The Nap (Sheffield Crucible), Great Britain (National Theatre), Made in Dagenham: The Musical (Adelphi Theatre) and Pitcairn (Chichester Minerva Theatre/Shakespeare's Globe). Richard's other work includes Under the Whaleback (Royal Court. George Devine Award 2002), The Heretic (The Royal Court. Evening Standard Best New Play 2011), Honeymoon Suite (Pearson Play of the Year), Harvest (Critic's Circle Best New Play), The House of Games (from David Mamet's film), a new version of Moliere's The Hypochondriac, The Big Fellah (Out of Joint), England Peo
£10.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Peter Pan Goes Wrong
Book SynopsisIn one of Chris' productions, due to an ill-timed haircut Rapunzel had to be imprisoned in a bungalow. But now with no further ado, please put your hands together for J.M. Barrie's Christmas classic: Peter Pan!The inept and accident-prone Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society set out to present J. M. Barrie''s classic tale of Peter Pan, their most audacious production to date. Flying? Pyrotechnics? Sharp hooks? What ensues is two acts of hysterical disaster. You''ll laugh, they''ll cry. Something so wrong has never been so right.From the mischievous minds of the West End and Edinburgh hit The Play That Goes Wrong comes this highly original, chaos-filled re-telling of J.M. Barrie''s much-loved classic.Peter Pan Goes Wrong received its world premiere at the Pleasance Theatre, London, on 10 December 2013 and transferred to the West End on 4 December 2015. The show opened on Broadway on 19 April 2023, and this updated edition was publishe
£10.99
Globe Pequot Press ComediesThe
Book SynopsisCurated from the Applause three-volume series, Once More unto the Speech, Dear Friends, edited by Neil Freeman, these monologue from Shakespeare''s works are given new life and purpose for today''s readers and actors alike. There are twelve titles in this series, which is divided into four categories: monologues for younger men, monologues for older men, monologues for women, and monologues for any gender, the latter being a unique feature since most monologue books are compiled for either men or women. Each book is presented in a smaller format that is more consistent with standard monologue books.Titles in the series:Monologues from Shakespeare''s First Folio for Any Gender: The ComediesMonologues from Shakespeare''sFirst Folio for Any Gender: The HistoriesMonologues from Shakespeare''s First Folio for Any Gender: The TragediesMonologues from Shakespeare''s First Folio for Women: The ComediesMonologue
£13.49
Pan Macmillan The Tempest
Book SynopsisThe Tempest is Shakespeare's masterpiece of magical effects, redemptive romance, poetry and politics. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features illustrations by renowned artist Sir John Gilbert and an introduction by actor, writer and director Simon Callow.Prospero has long been exiled from Italy and banished to a remote island with his daughter Miranda. He uses his magical powers to conjure up a fearsome storm, and his enemies, including his treacherous broth Antonio, are shipwrecked. There follows a play filled with murderous plots, drunken confusion, love and redemption. And along the way, the reader discovers an unmistakable message that this is Shakespeare’s own farewell to the stage.Trade ReviewShakespeare’s voice rings down the ages, and, as with innumerable other human matters, we would do well to listen to it * Independent *A magical tale of finding love and getting drunk on a tropical island * Time Out *When I read Shakespeare I am struck with wonder that such trivial people should muse and thunder in such lovely language -- D. H. LawrenceThe remarkable thing about Shakespeare is that he is really very good -- Robert Graves
£9.49
Pan Macmillan Much Ado About Nothing
Book SynopsisComedy and tragedy intertwine when two very different couples fall in and out of love in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features illustrations by renowned artist Sir John Gilbert and an introduction from Professor Tiffany Stern.Whilst Beatrice and Benedick both despise love, exchanging insults and mockery rather than vows, for Hero and Claudio it is love at first sight. But as their marriage preparations begin, so too do Don John’s dirty tricks. Can his scheming get in the way of true love? And can an elaborate plan to bring fiery Beatrice and cynical Benedick closer together really come off? In Much Ado About Nothing, one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, nothing is quite what it seems.Trade ReviewShakespeare’s voice rings down the ages, and, as with innumerable other human matters, we would do well to listen to it * Independent *When I read Shakespeare I am struck with wonder that such trivial people should muse and thunder in such lovely language -- D. H. LawrenceThe remarkable thing about Shakespeare is that he is really very good -- Robert Graves
£9.49
Graphic Arts Books The Plays of Aristophanes
Book SynopsisThe Plays of Aristophanes (425 BC-388 BC) is a collection of comedies by Athenian playwright Aristophanes. Noted for his exploration of fantasy, sexuality, and contemporary politics, Aristophanes was a leading figure in Old Attic Comedy whose award-winning plays continue to delight and inspire nearly 2,500 years after they were first performed. This collection includes some of his best-known work, showcasing his talent as an unmatched humorist and shrewd social commentator whose words drew ire from Athenian general Cleon, Socrates, and Plato. In The Clouds, an indebted Athenian aristocrat enters a philosophical school despite his advanced age in order to sharpen his argumentative skills. There, he learns the recent teachings of Socrates and gets a chance to meet the legendary figure himself. Despite his earnest desire for enlightenment, Strepsiades proves shockingly inept and is forced to beg his young son for help. The Birds follows a pair of middle-aged men on a walk through the wilderness, where they encounter a former king who has been transformed into a bird. When a group of enraged birds holds them captive, suspecting the men of ill-intent, the two devise a plan to inspire the birds to challenge the Olympians and assert their power in the universal order. In Lystistrata, the title heroine leads a courageous campaign to put an end to the brutal Peloponnesian War. Her bold plan involves encouraging women throughout the warring city states of Greece to withhold sex from men until the violence is stopped. The Plays of Aristophanes is an invaluable collection of comedies from a leading playwright of Ancient Greece, a man whose work has survived for centuries while inspiring countless writers, readers, and audiences around the world. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Aristophanes’ The Plays of Aristophanes is a classic of Ancient Greek literature reimagined for modern readers.
£20.69
Graphic Arts Books The Merry Wives of Windsor
Book SynopsisThe Merry Wives of Windsor (1601) is a comedy by William Shakespeare. Following the success of Henry IV Part I, it is rumored that Queen Elizabeth requested that the bard write a play featuring the character Falstaff in love. Falstaff, a clownish character notable for his bravery and loyalty to King Henry V, remains one of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters. Despite this prominence, it has earned a reputation as one of the playwright’s least staged works. “Come, we have a hot venison pasty to dinner: come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness.” For his wit and wordplay alone, William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer to ever work in the English language. Where he truly triumphs, however, is in his ability to portray complex human emotions, how these emotions contribute to relationships, and how these relationships interact with politics, culture, and religion. Arriving in Windsor with an empty stomach and even emptier pockets, Falstaff comes up with a plan to seduce a wealthy woman. When his servants refuse to deliver his letters to Mistresses Ford and Page—both of them married—he fires Pistol and Nym, who subsequently inform the ladies’ husbands. Eventually, the Mistresses get their hands on Falstaff’s letters and, upon discovering they are exactly the same, conspire to embarrass the aging, overweight bachelor. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
£7.01
Graphic Arts Books Love Labour's Lost
Book SynopsisLove’s Labour’s Lost (1596) is a comedy by William Shakespeare. The play was written to be performed for Queen Elizabeth at the Inns of Court, and has frequently been recognized for its length and complex wordplay. Although rarely staged up until the nineteenth century, Love’s Labour’s Lost has seen a resurgence over the last century, serving as source material for musicals, films, and television shows alike. “Beauty is bought by judgment of the eye, / Not utt'red by base sale of chapmen's tongues; / I am less proud to hear you tell my worth / Than you much willing to be counted wise.” For his wit and wordplay alone, William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer to ever work in the English language. Where he truly triumphs, however, is in his ability to portray complex human emotions, how these emotions contribute to relationships, and how these relationships interact with politics, culture, and religion. King Ferdinand of Navarre takes an oath with his closest friends and advisors: for three years, they will commit to dietary moderation and intellectual enrichment, depriving themselves of the company of women. When the Princess of France arrives with her ladies on important business, she finds herself unable to get within a mile of court due to the King’s strict order. One by one, the King and his men fall in love with the French women, though each is unwilling to admit it without first implicating his comrades. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
£6.37
Graphic Arts Books As You Like It
Book SynopsisAs You Like It (1599) is a comedy by William Shakespeare. As You Like It was probably inspired by Thomas Lodge’s Rosalynd, Euphues Golden Legacie (1587), a story based on “The Tale of Gamelyn,” a Middle English romance. For its deconstruction of traditional gender roles and depiction of homoeroticism, As You Like It remains an important and frequently performed play in Shakespeare’s oeuvre. “All the world's a stage, / And all the men and women merely players; / They have their exits and their entrances; / And one man in his time plays many parts…” For his wit and wordplay alone, William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer to ever work in the English language. Where he truly triumphs, however, is in his ability to portray complex human emotions, how these emotions contribute to relationships, and how these relationships interact with politics, culture, and religion. When Frederick exiles the Duke and usurps his throne, he allows his daughter Rosalind to remain due to her close friendship with his daughter Celia. When Rosalind is blamed for a conflict between brothers Oliver and Orlando, Frederick banishes her from the duchy. Determined to remain together, the two friends disguise themselves and, joined by the court jester Touchstone, flee for the Forest of Arden. There, Rosalind—in the guise of Ganymede—and Celia—as Aliena—attempt to survive through the kindness of strangers and old acquaintances alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
£6.37
Graphic Arts Books All's Well That Ends Well
Book SynopsisAll’s Well That Ends Well (1607) is a comedy by William Shakespeare. All’s Well That Ends Well was likely inspired by the tale of Giletta di Narbona from Boccaccio’s Decameron. Unpopular during Shakespeare’s lifetime, the play remains one of his least staged works to this day. Despite this, scholars praise All’s Well That Ends Well for its moral ambiguity. “The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together; our virtues would be proud if our faults whipped them not; and our crimes would despair if they were not cherish’d by our virtues.” For his wit and wordplay alone, William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer to ever work in the English language. Where he truly triumphs, however, is in his ability to portray complex human emotions, how these emotions contribute to relationships, and how these relationships interact with politics, culture, and religion. In All’s Well That Ends Well, as in so many of Shakespeare’s works, love is the center of attention. When Helena heals the King of France, who had been suffering from a persistent illness, he allows her to choose a husband from among his closest advisors. She selects the handsome Bertram, who disdains her for her lowborn social status. Although they marry, he leaves for Italy before consummating their union, failing to suspect the lengths to which Helena will go to get what she desires. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of William Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
£7.01
Graphic Arts Books The Taming of the Shrew
Book SynopsisThe Taming of the Shrew (1592) is a comedy by William Shakespeare. Written between 1590 and 1592, The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare’s earliest works. Frequently critiqued by scholars for its demeaning portrayal of Katherina and for Petruchio’s violence, the play has also been considered as an ironic treatment of the inequality experienced by women in marriage. The Taming of the Shrew has served as source material for countless film and television adaptations, including McClintock! (1963) starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. “If I be waspish, best beware my sting.” For his wit and wordplay alone, William Shakespeare is often considered the greatest writer to ever work in the English language. Where he truly triumphs, however, is in his ability to portray complex human emotions, how these emotions contribute to relationships, and how these relationships interact with politics, culture, and religion. The Taming of the Shrew, like many of Shakespeare’s works, begins with a framing device. Christopher Sly, a notorious drunk, has come to believe that he is a lord. In order to distract him, his fellow denizens of the alehouse stage a play set in Padua. As suitors line up to marry the beautiful young Bianca, they find themselves prevented by her father’s only rule: her older sister Katherina must be married first. Notoriously independent, Katherina—the shrew of the title—simply refuses to tie herself to a man. When Petruchio arrives from Verona in search of a wife, he finds himself up for the challenge. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.
£6.37
Graphic Arts Books The Plays of Aristophanes
Book SynopsisThe Plays of Aristophanes (425 BC-388 BC) is a collection of comedies by Athenian playwright Aristophanes. Noted for his exploration of fantasy, sexuality, and contemporary politics, Aristophanes was a leading figure in Old Attic Comedy whose award-winning plays continue to delight and inspire nearly 2,500 years after they were first performed. This collection includes some of his best-known work, showcasing his talent as an unmatched humorist and shrewd social commentator whose words drew ire from Athenian general Cleon, Socrates, and Plato. In The Clouds, an indebted Athenian aristocrat enters a philosophical school despite his advanced age in order to sharpen his argumentative skills. There, he learns the recent teachings of Socrates and gets a chance to meet the legendary figure himself. Despite his earnest desire for enlightenment, Strepsiades proves shockingly inept and is forced to beg his young son for help. The Birds follows a pair of middle-aged men on a walk through the wilderness, where they encounter a former king who has been transformed into a bird. When a group of enraged birds holds them captive, suspecting the men of ill-intent, the two devise a plan to inspire the birds to challenge the Olympians and assert their power in the universal order. In Lystistrata, the title heroine leads a courageous campaign to put an end to the brutal Peloponnesian War. Her bold plan involves encouraging women throughout the warring city states of Greece to withhold sex from men until the violence is stopped. The Plays of Aristophanes is an invaluable collection of comedies from a leading playwright of Ancient Greece, a man whose work has survived for centuries while inspiring countless writers, readers, and audiences around the world. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Aristophanes’ The Plays of Aristophanes is a classic of Ancient Greek literature reimagined for modern readers.
£14.39
Graphic Arts Books The Tempest
Book SynopsisProspero is the rightful Duke of Milan, who was disposed by his brother Antonio and forced to flee the country with his young daughter, Miranda. For years, they have occupied a remote island that’s suddenly disturbed by his brother’s return. A ship carrying a group of passengers including King Alonso and Antonio, the Duke of Milan, crash on an isolated island. The land has been home to Prospero, Antonio’s brother who is also the rightful duke. Prospero has used magic to bring the men to him where he plans to enact his revenge. But he must navigate the romance between his daughter Miranda, and the king’s son, Ferdinand, as well as the growing resentment of his manservant Caliban. The Tempest centers a family in crisis alongside a budding love story. It’s a captivating tale full of magic and striking visuals that amplify the characters’ internal conflict. The play was famously adapted for film in 2010 with Oscar-winner Helen Mirren as Prospera, a female version of Prospero. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Tempest is both modern and readable.
£6.37
Graphic Arts Books The Comedy of Errors
Book SynopsisIn a race against the clock, identical twin brothers unexpectedly trade places, which threatens one brother’s marriage, the other’s sanity and both of their freedom. It’s a slapstick comedy full of hijinks and convoluted conflicts. When their family is shipwrecked, two identical twin boys are separated and forced to grow up with a single parent. One went with their mother, while the other was raised by their father. Years later, the brothers, both named Antipholus, unexpectedly swap lives when one attempts to search for the other. Antipholus of Syracuse is mistaken for Antipholus of Ephesus, who is married to a slightly overbearing wife, Adriana. Despite his reservations, Adriana brings Antipholus of Syracuse to their home where his strange behavior leads to a major debacle. The Comedy of Errors delivers on its descriptive title. It’s a multilayered story filled with tongue twisters and a complex plot. The clever writing and captivating characters make this a timeless farce. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Comedy of Errors is both modern and readable.
£6.37
BBC Audio, A Division Of Random House Vanity Fair: BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation
Book SynopsisStephen Fry narrates this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the famous Victorian comic novel. Orphan Becky Sharp and wealthy Amelia Sedley are best friends at Miss Pinkerton's Academy for Young Ladies. On leaving school, ambitious, social-climbing Becky looks for a rich man to support her, while the sweet-natured Amelia meets her old friend Dobbin, who is instantly captivated. Becky takes a job in the service of Sir Pitt Crawley, and uses her charm to hook his dashing son. However, marriage to Captain Rawdon of the Guards does not provide the fortune she seeks. Meanwhile, Amelia rejects the faithful Dobbin and becomes engaged to the handsome George Osborne – but destiny has some shocks in store for her, too. As time goes by, the girls' fortunes rise and fall. War, financial disaster and the ruin of her reputation leave the resourceful Becky undaunted, but Amelia finds it harder to bear fate's blows. It will be many years before their story is played out, and their futures finally decided... William Makepeace Thackeray's classic satire of passion and ambition, first published in 1847 and 1848, is a deliciously ironic portrait of English society and its mores. This engaging 2004 radio production, published for the first time on audio, features a distinguished cast including Emma Fielding as Becky Sharp, Katy Cavanagh as Amelia and Toby Jones as Jos Sedley. Duration: 5 hours approx
£19.20
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Ladies in Lavender
Book SynopsisAn evocative, heart-warming story of unfulfi lled dreams and unrequited love. Based on the hit film screenplay by Charles Dance starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, and on the original short story by William J. Locke, Ladies In Lavender tells the tale of two sisters Ursula and Janet who live in a close-knit fishing village in picturesque Cornwall, in 1936. When a handsome and talented young Polish violinist bound for America is washed ashore, the Widdington sisters take him under their wing and nurse him back to health. However, the presence of the mysterious young man disrupts their peaceful lives and the community in which they live.Trade Review"It delivers perfect comic timing and hilarious lines." - Northampton Chronicle & Echo "There's a magical feel to this show - This is a rather brilliant production" - Daventry Express
£14.76
