The Sourcebooks Shakespeare Edition of Hamlet features an integrated audio CD with 25 performances by different actors throughout the twentieth century, narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi. Detailed essays, commentary and photos accompany our newly edited text of the play with insights from a noted Shakespeare scholar.
Hear 12 classic scenes with Hamlet played by:
—John Barrymore (1928)
—John Gielgud (from a 1948 recording made for radio)
—Laurence Olivier (from his 1948 movie soundtrack)
—Richard Burton (from Gielgud's 1964 "rehearsal" production on Broadway)
—Derek Jacobi (from a 1980 production for BBC-TV)
See images from notable productions:
—At the Joseph Papp Public Theater with Martin Sheen, Kevin Kline, and Liev Schreiber as Hamlet.
—Simon Russell Beale in New York City, Roger Rees at the Royal Shakespeare Company
—Stills from Kenneth Branagh's 1996 film and Michael Almereyda's 2000 version
—Set designs and costume renderings from a 1934 production directed by Sir John Gielgud
Read essays and commentary with insights from:
—Russell Jackson, editor of The Oxford Illustrated History of Shakespeare on Stage, on Kenneth Branagh's 1996 film.
—Douglas Lanier, editor of Shakespeare and Modern Popular Culture on Hamlet as inspiration for contemporary media
—Text editor Terri Bourus on productions of Hamlet throughout history
Additional essays dissect a contemporary performance, offer a modern cast's insights into their characters, and uncover the history of Shakespeare's world.