Shakespeare: The Masque Quartet: Henry VIII, A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest

Written by William Shakespeare

William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.

All 4 of Shakespeare’s plays that are considered to make up The Masque Quartet, performed by the celebrated Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players.

Comedy, tragedy, and folklore are played out in this quartet, all of which utilise the masque in unique and revelatory ways. Performed by an incredible array of the 20th century’s greatest actors, Marlowe alumni including Ian McKellen, Prunella Scales, Michael Hordern, and Patrick Wymark can be heard in these recordings.

All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations.

Thurston Dart, Professor of Music at London University and a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, directed the music for this production.

This collection includes all 4 plays considered to form Shakespeare’s Masque Quartet:
• Henry VIII
• A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream
• Romeo and Juliet
• The Tempest

The full casts for each production in this collection can be found in the description of the individual play’s product page.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Dec 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9780008462000

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) is arguably the most famous playwright to ever live. Born in England, he attended grammar school but did not study at a university. In the 1590s, Shakespeare worked as partner and performer at the London-based acting company, the King’s Men. His earliest plays were Henry VI and Richard III, both based on the historical figures. During his career, Shakespeare produced nearly 40 plays that reached multiple countries and cultures. Some of his most notable titles include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar. His acclaimed catalog earned him the title of the world’s greatest dramatist.