The Oedipus Plays: An Audible Original Drama

I liked the way the play was transfermed in an audio book!!! Great readrs too!!! Thank you for providing it for free!

Each time I read (or in this case listen to) Oedipus The King, it grows more devastating. I read it first as a student some 13 years ago and it moved me then despite my tender age. I tought the play when I became a teacher, and renewing my aquaintance with it again at 32, thanks to this excellent production, I find that it has grown even more powerful. You need age and success on your side to truly understand the dreadful implications of this story of a good but proud man brought to ruin by an inescapable destiny. Anyone interested in Theatre or Literature should get this. you don't need a grounding in Greek mythology to enjoy it as most actions are explained by the characters, but be advised it isn't an easy listen. The production values are good and the acting is for the most part excellent; Johnstone's translation is indeed authoritative, but it it sometimes lacks the pithiness of Robert Fagles' translation. this is made up for by the strength and pathos of the main performers, and the occasional clunkiness of the translation is most apparent in the lines of the chorus; watch out for Jonathan Oliver, something about his voice suits his role in the chorus perfectly. I look forward to listening to the two remaining Theban plays, but I think Oedipus will haunt me forever. I've learned to count no man truly happy until he is dead, and you don't forget lessons like that in a hurry.

This dramatisation of the Oedipus plays is very well performed. It really has the drama of ancient Greek theatre. I also really liked the musical interludes and the way the plays were split up. The only frustrating thing was the really short chapters that sometimes change mid dialogue. I couldn't find a good place to pause.

This translation is very peculiar, combining modern idioms with formalised speech. It really doesn't work. The performers do an okay job with a very poor script, though the chorus doesn't have a unified in flexion. Disappointing overall

A good interpretation and very worth the experience of listening. It certainly makes you think.

Thought I would enjoy as I love audio Drama. This just seemed dated and filled with annoying music and group chanting.
I'm sure it is actually better than I rate it but as I say it did not work for me.
On the plus side i did learn from it and understand the story better

I really would. I wasn't really paying attention to who was reading this when I bought this I just mainly wanted it to go through Antigonie as I was reading it for a Classical History Drama group and wanted to be able to convey more emotion that I already was into my performance by hearing someones elves interpretation and I was really surprised at how good it was. I'm yet to listen to the others but Antigone is really very good.

Hearing Hayley Atwell's voice as one of the voices in the performance as she really is a heroine of mine.

The sheer emotion of the speeches due to the fact in a print copy of the book it is written out as a play with very little in the way of stage directions which you would miss out by just reading it.

Really brought these works to life . Excellent production and free. Some great performances a must have.

There are a number of excellent performances here, particularly from the leading players but the chorus ,when speaking in unison ,sound rather like thespian versions of the Daleks.The overall rather formal translation feels a little restrictive at times.There are more interesting and vivid translations of these plays available and this very strong cast would have achieved even better performances had they been working with the translation of "Antigone" by Seamus Heaney for example. These are wonderful plays and are still worthwhile listening to.

I really enjoyed this set of plays. Well acted and an accessible translation that was well balanced between dramatic and vernacular English.

If I had to make any criticism it could be that the acting was a little hammy in places and the translation possibly a little clunky on occasion but that really is nit picking. If Oedipus is on your "must read" list then I don't think you'll be disappointed with this version.