William Shakespeare

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time...

An anthology of over 40 classic nature poems, read by some of our finest actors....

Everyone knows something of Shakespeare's sonnets, even if only in memorable fragments like "the darling buds of May," or "remembrance of things past," or "the marriage of true minds"....

Six full-cast BBC Radio productions of Shakespeare's classic tragedies Treachery, betrayal and fatal power struggles are among the themes of these six iconic productions of Shakespeare's timeless tragedies. Featuring all-star casts, they are introduced by Sir Richard Eyre. Hamlet Shakespeare's...

King Leontes of Sicilia is seized by sudden and terrible jealousy of his wife Hermione, whom he accuses of adultery....

The language of Poetry is an art that most of us attempt at some point in our lives. Although its commonplace exposure has been somewhat marginalised in today’s often fast-paced lives we all recognise good verse that can empathise with our thoughts or open us up to experience new things in new ways.

Three classic radio productions from the BBC archives starring Hannah Gordon, Tim Pigott-Smith, Paul Scofield and a host of celebrated acting talent. These three legendary plays, performed by some of the best-known theatrical actors of the 20th century, are the perfect way to commemorate...

Eight full-cast BBC Radio productions of Shakespeare's best loved comedies. Full of merriment, mayhem, mischief and mistaken identity, here are eight iconic radio productions of Shakespeare's most magical comedies, featuring star casts and introduced by Sir Richard Eyre. Much Ado About Nothing...

Richard Burton narrates this famous dramatic chronicle of the English Crown, a treasure of the BBC radio archive published on audible for the very first time. Vivat Rex is the landmark drama series first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1977. Over the course of 26 instalments, each one narrated by...

Discover Shakespeare's best-loved plays with this fantastic, unabridged and downloadable audiobook edition of Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare, read by Alan Cumming, Juliet Stevenson, Nigel Davenport and Andrew Sachs. A perfect introduction for all ages to the breadth and beauty of...

Here is a full-cast, unabridged performance with comprehensive commentary and analysis for any student to fully understand and appreciate the play....

In the world's most celebrated and lyrical love story, the sublime devotion of two young lovers transcends their earthly fate....

Brilliantly manipulative and entirely amoral, the hero-villain Richard is one of Shakespeare's greatest roles....

In this BBC full-cast production of The Merchant of Venice, love, bigotry, greed, and justice are entwined. Shakespeare's classic play explores the eternal themes of love and hate, mercy and justice, with parallel stories centred on the moneylender, Shylock, and the lovers, Portia and Bassanio...

In this BBC full-cast production of Much Ado About Nothing, some handsome soldiers return from battle. Yet one soldier finds himself locked in a merry war of his own... In Shakespeare's comedy of wit, love and miscommunication, Beatrice and Benedick and Hero and Claudio are pushed into and...

Shakespeare combined his love of theater with Greek mythology and the supernatural to create what is arguably his most playfully imaginative work....

The multi-award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options....

This haunting drama of vengeance and forgiveness crowns the group of tragicomic romances that Shakespeare composed at the end of his career....

Four full-cast BBC Radio productions of Shakespeare's finest history plays Introduced by Sir Richard Eyre, these four iconic productions, featuring star casts, bring Shakespeare's gripping histories to life in all their rich complexity. Henry IV, Part One Young Prince Hal struggles with his...

In this BBC full-cast production, a trio of witches predicts Macbeth's early demise. In a tale of fate, fulfilment and ego, Macbeth and his wife desire the Scottish kingship. Macbeth's temptation and descent into evil, his wife's ruthlessness and subsequent madness and the overarching presence...