TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE

Tina Packer's enthusiastic performances of her own Shakespeare adaptations are lively and listener-friendly. While the audiobook lacks the oft-praised illustrations present in the original text, Packer does a fine job on her own, bringing color and shape to each of the 10 plays with just her voice and her energy. For the most part, each play--from the tragedy of HAMLET to the comedy of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM--is adapted for a younger audience with a solid focus on retaining meaning and entertainment value without creating confusion. A few twists are difficult to untangle in this form, but Packer's majestic voice and authoritative delivery smooth out the wrinkles. This is a great introduction to or recap of the Bard's essential titles. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2021]