Written by William Shakespeare - Unabridged Fiction - 2 CASSETTES - 2 hours

Publisher, Airplay (January 2000)

2001 Grammy Award Nominee for Best Spoken Word Album

The Complete Shakespeare Sonnets performed by Patrick Stewart, Natasha Richardson, Ossie Davis, Al Pacino, Claire Bloom, Kathleen Turner, Alfred Molina, Lindsay Crouse, Ruby Dee, Brian Stokes Mitchell and more outstanding actors of the American and British stage.

"The Sonnets are as important a part of Shakespeare's legacy 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."

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 Shakespeare continue to be read and cherished, the extraordinary sonnets are often set aside. This collection, on compact disc 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. Please note that both the CD and the Cassette versions are UNABRIDGED, however the CD booklet includes the complete printed text of the sonnets.