AN AMERICAN FAMILY SHAKESPEARE ENTERTAINMENT, VOL. II Based on Charles & Mary Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare, with scenes, soliloquies and music from Shakespeare’s plays

These stories from the Lambs’ TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE are pleasing enough—but for adults, they’re not actually Shakespeare, and for children, they’re somewhat difficult. The narrations are generally strong and likable; PERICLES, in Stefan Rudnicki’s notably rumbling tones, is best. Yuri Rasovsky, though very expressive, gives too much of a fairy-tale tone to KING LEAR, and Harlan Ellison, also expressive, hams it up too much in MACBETH. (The production lists performers only at the end, without specific credits, which is unsatisfying for those who download.) Interspersed are songs and brief bits from the plays that get adequate but unremarkable turns. Overall, this is an enjoyable program—though prose that is 200 years old won’t be for every family. W.M. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2011]