The Complete Shakespeare Sonnets

THE COMPLETE SHAKESPEARE SONNETS read by Patrick Stewart, Natasha Richardson, Ossie Davis, Al Pacino, Claire Bloom, Kathleen Turner, Alfred Molina, Lindsay Crouse, Ruby Dee, Brian Stokes Mitchell and more

"The Sonnets are as important a part of Shakespeare's lecacy as his Plays. They are filled with thoughts and emotions all of us can recognize: desire, disappointment, jealousy, love, and forgiveness. To speak his Sonnets, Shakespeare created a character, a Poet, who gives voice to the feelings and observations reflected in each poem. We thought it appropriate to gather together a group of actors who could bring this Poet to life. We have set out t read the Sonnets in Shakespeare's language, in such a manner that allows the relevancy and originality of each poem to shine through." From the Introduction to the Complete Shakespeare Sonnets, Kathleen Turner

AIRPLAY audio publication of the Complete Shakespeare Sonnets brings together some of the most outstanding actors of the American and British Stage. While the plays of Shakepeare continue to be read and cherished, the extraordinary sonnets are often set aside. This collection, on cd or cassette, seeks to bring the Sonnets to life and to reintroduce them to our contemporary ear. The language is Shakespearean but the readings belong to today. Some of the Sonnets are tender, some are bawdy, most have an ironic twist, a sudden glancing truth that comes in the last couplet. In this recording of the Sonnets, we elected to read the Sonnets in Shakespeare's language but in such away that the intent of each small poem shines through. Think of the Sonnets,then, as a series of startlingly illuminated snap-shots, a quick glimpse into the soul of our greatest writer, and an extraordinary and comprehensible recording of his brilliant observations.