Henry IV
$15.65
»
Henry IV
While King Henry IV rightly laments that his heir, the young Prince Hal, has not distinguished himself in battle, Hal is up to no good at the Boar's Head Tavern with his rotund cohort, Falstaff. With a rebellion rising against the throne at home, Hal lives it up in the ale houses of London, associating with petty schemers and masterminding practical jokes instead of military strategies. When his father sends a messenger to fetch his delinquent son, will Hal rally to the call? Written prior to 1596, this much-loved play is referred to in multiple memoirs and documents of the day and in subsequent decades, including Samuel Pepys's diary, attesting to its impact and popularity. Blending action that takes place at court with scenes of city life, HENRY IV PART 1 marks a turning-point in Shakespeare's oeuvre, as action unfolds simultaneously in diverse locations, lending texture and variety to the drama, and involving characters drawn not only from the ranks of court, but from London's seedier byways. The sway of chaos and order, the perennial theme of Shakespeare's histories, is present here in the juxtaposition of the political realm with the Epicurean.
Drama
Henry VI
$15.65
»
Henry VI
The historic King Henry VI lived from 1421 to 1471, however, the three plays which bear his name as titles do not concern him as much as those around him, such as Talbot, of HENRY VI, PART I, who is killed as a result of warring British factions while Henry VI is yet a child-king. The play is set during the final stages of the Hundred Years War against France, after the death of Henry V, who had conquered a significant amount French territory during his triumphant reign--most of which is lost during the course of the present drama. The three Henry VI plays, together with Richard III, form a tetralogy that thematically chronicles the disintegration of British dominance, the infighting that ensues, resulting in civil war (The War of the Roses). The tension between chaos and order is paramount. According to most scholarship, Shakespeare wrote the first of the three parts between 1589 and 1590. It was performed first on March 3, 1592 at the Rose Theater. Diaries indicate that it was performed 14 more times before the theaters were closed that season because of an outbreak of plague. Early Shakespeareans were hesitant to attribute HENRY VI, PART 1
to Shakespeare, particularly
because of the crude portrayal of Joan of Arc, although it was included in the FIRST FOLIO, 1623; thus there is much speculation regarding this topic.
The action begins at the funeral of Henry V, where the Duke of Gloucester and the Bishop of Winchester engage in a disruptive argument about the control of the young King Henry VI. Two messengers, one bringing word of English military losses in France, and a second reporting a French rebellion subsequently interfere with the funeral ceremony. In violation of a previous treaty, Charles Dauphin has been crowned King of France, and motivated the Bastard of Orleance and the Duke of Alanson behind him. A third messenger tells of the capture of the hero Talbot due to the coward Falstaff. Reinforcements are sent to assist the Earl of Salisbury, who lea...
Drama
Quentins
$15.53
»
Quentins
Quentins is a Dublin restaurant, and when filmmaker Ella Brady arrives to do a documentary on the place, she finds out more than she bargained for. Maeve Binchy brings back some of her old characters and creates many new ones to tell the story of a restaurant and the people behind it.
Drama
Dramatic Works of Samuel Beckett
$15.5
»
Dramatic Works of Samuel Beckett
Description not available.
Drama
Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?
$15.5
»
Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?
On the basis of his first four plays one could not really make up one's mind as to the direction in which Albee was headed, although it was clear that he had theatrical talent. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? seems to settle the question: Albee is headed for popular success precisely because of the same unconvincing mixture of lively dialogue and incongruous tricks, of brutal realism and false symbolism, that characterized his first plays...The last play can be best described as running fight between a wife and a husband. Insofar as the play is this, it is indeed successful in its own very limited way. But insofar as it lays claim to some deeper, symbolic meaning, it is pretty near unbearable.
Drama
Complete Works of William Shakespeare
$15.5
»
Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Includes the complete text of Shakespeare's plays, poems, and sonnets
Drama
The True And Outstanding Adventures Of The Hunt Sisters
$15.48
»
The True And Outstanding Adventures Of The Hunt Sisters
A 30-something producer named Olivia is deep into a film version of DON QUIXOTE, and things are not going well. Then her beloved sister gets cancer. As she struggles in Hollywood to get her movie off the ground, her life is punctuated by trips to the small Ohio town where her sister is dying. The movie prospers, her love life falters,
her sister declines, and Olivia makes her way through it all, emerging devastated--but undeniably wiser.
Drama