TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE

The Lambs's TALES is the granddaddy of all Cliffs Notes and may be the only one that qualifies in its own right as a work of literature. These narrative retellings of 18 of Shakespeare's plays don't attempt to reproduce the plays' structure or dramatic qualities, but recast the stories into narrative form with freedom and dexterity. Sean Pratt's easy narrative voice is an excellent vehicle for the Lambs's subdued storybook tone, and he paces the stories superbly, grasping the strategy of the Lambs's retellings--that they are not synopses, but genuine retellings of the plays, and therefore demand a voice both loyal to and free from Shakespeare's. The tales, each about half an hour's listening time, are perfect for the clueless student or for broadening a listener's background in Shakespeare beyond a few familiar plays. D.A.W. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]