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Henry V

Shakespeare Henry V play. Directed 2015 by Gregory Doran at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Stars for the English: Oliver Ford Davies (Chorus), Alex Hassell (King Henry V), Dale Mathurin (Bedford/Bates), Daniel Abbott (Gloucester/Monsieur le Fer), Jim Hooper (Canterbury/Erpingham), Nicholas Gerard-Martin (Bishop of Ely/Orléans), Sean Chapman (Exeter), Andrew Westfield (Westmorland/MacMorris/Court), Christopher Middleton (Warwick/Nym), Keith Osborn (Scroop), Simon Yadoo (Cambridge/Jamy/Michael Williams), Obioma Ugoala (Grey/Gower), Joshua Richards (Bardolph/Fluellen), Anthony Byrne (Pistol), Sarah Parks (Mistress Quickly), and Martin Bassindale (Boy). Stars for the French: Simon Thorp (King of France), Jane Lapotaire (Queen Isobel), Robert Gilbert (Dauphin), Jennifer Kirby (Katherine), Leigh Quinn (Alice), Keith Osborn (Montjoy), Sam Marks (Constable of France), Christopher Middleton (Governer of Harfleur), and Evelyn Miller (Rambures/Lady-in-Waiting). Features the musicians Helena Raeburn (soprano), Max Gittings (woodwind), Samantha Norman (violin), Nick Lee (guitar), Andre Stone-Fewings (trumpet), Chris Sedden (trumpet), Ian Foster (tuba), James Jones (percussion), and Bruce O'Neil (keyboard). Designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis; lighting by Tim Mitchell; music by Paul Englishby, sound by Martin Slavin; movement by Michael Ashcroft; fights by Terry King; screen direction by Robin Lough; produced for screen by John Wyver. Package includes a Director's Commentary and other valuable extra features. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: A+

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Shakespeare King & Country

Shakespeare King & Country Box Set. This box set includes the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, and Henry V. All four titles are available individually on this website, and you can get more details by using the links provided:

1. Richard II. 2014. (A)
2. Henry IV Part I. 2015. (A+)
3. Henry IV Part II. 2015. (A)
4. Henry V. 2016. (A+)

This is one of the best boxes Opus Arte has put together. Everything is superb. It's April 2017 and the price for this in the US now is about $65, which is a real bargain. I remember watching some of this in about 1980 when the BBC put all of Shakespeare on SD TV. I didn't dare to dream then that I would ever see the Henriad done so well as the RSC does it in these HDVDs.

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The Merchant of Venice

Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice play. Directed 2015 by Polly Findlay at Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Stars Makram J. Khoury (Shylock), Patsy Ferran (Portia), Nadia Albina (Nerissa), Scarlett Brookes (Jessica), Owen Findlay (Salerio), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (Bassanio), David Ajao (Jailer), Jamie Ballard (Antonio), James Corrigan (Lorenzo), Eva Feiler (Citizen of Venice), Guy Hughes (Leonardo/Servant), Gwilym Lloyd (Tubal), Rina Mahoney (Portia's Servant/Duke on Venice), Ken Nwosu (Gratiano/Morocco), Brian Protheroe (Aragon), Jay Saighal (Solanio), and Tim Samuels (Launcelot Gobbo). Set design by Johannes Schütz; costume design by Anette Guther; lighting by Peter Mumford; music by Morc Tritschler; sound by Gareth Fry; movement by Aline David; fights by Bret Yount. Directed for the screen by Robin Lough; produced by John Wyver. Released 2016, this disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA

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Love's Labour's Box Set

Shakespeare Love's Labour's Box Set. This box set includes the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Love's Labour's Lost and Love's Labour's Won (actually Much Ado About Nothing, presented as Love's Labour's Won). Both of them are available individually on this website, and you can get more details by using the links provided:

1. Love's Labour's Lost. 2015. (No grade yet)

2. Love's Labour's Won. 2015. (No grade yet)

Released 2015, both discs have 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA

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Love's Labour's Won

Shakespeare Love's Labour's Won, a/k/a Much Ado About Nothing play. Directed 2015 by Simon Godwin at Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Stars Sam Alexander (Don John), David Horovitch (Leonato),  Edward Bennett (Benedick), Michelle Terry (Beatrice), Tunji Kasim (Claudio), Chris Nayak (Borachio), Flora Spencer-Longhurst (Hero), and Nick Haverson (Dogberry). Released 2015, this disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA

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Love's Labour's Lost

Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost play. Directed 2015 by Christopher Luscombe at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Stars Sam Alexander (Ferdinand, King of Navarre), Edward Bennett (Berowne, a Lord), William Belchambers (Longaville, a Lord), Tunji Kasim (Dumaine, a Lord), Peter Basham (Gamekeeper), John Hodgkinson (Don Armado), Nick Haverson (Costard), and Emma Manton (Jaquenetta). Released 2015, this disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: NA

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The Hollow Crown

The Hollow Crown television film series. Each film is an adaptation of one of the works of Shakespeare's Henriad: Richard II; Henry IV, Part I; Henry IV, Part II; and Henry V. Directed by Rupert Goold (Richard II), Richard Eyre (Henry IV, Parts I & II), and Thea Sharrock (Henry V). Stars Ben Whishaw (King Richard II of England), Rory Kinnear (Henry Bolingbroke), Clémence Poésy (the Queen), David Suchet (the Duke of York), Patrick Stewart (John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster), David Morrissey (Earl of Northumberland), Tom Hughes (the Duke of Aumerle), James Purefoy (Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk), Lindsay Duncan (the Duchess of York), Ferdinand Kingsley (Bushy), Samuel Roukin (Bagot), Harry Hadden-Paton (Green), Tom Goodman-Hill (Sir Stephen Scroop), Adrian Schiller (Lord Willoughby), Peter de Jersey (Lord Ross), Finbar Lynch (Lord Marshall), Lucian Msamati (the Bishop of Carlisle), Richard Bremmer (the Abbot of Westminster), Rhodri Miles (the Welsh Captain), David Bradley (the Gardener), Simon Trinder (the Gardener's Assistant), Isabella Laughland (the Queen's Lady), Daniel Boyd (the Groom), Jeremy Irons (Henry IV), Simon Russell Beale (Falstaff), Tom Hiddleston (Prince Hal/King Henry V), Julie Walters (Mistress Quickly), Alun Armstrong (Earl of Northumberland), Joe Armstrong (Hotspur), David Bamber (Robert Shallow), Niamh Cusack (Lady Northumberland), David Dawson (Poins), Michelle Dockery (Lady Percy), Tom Georgeson (Bardolph), Iain Glen (Earl of Warwick), Nicholas Jones (Archbishop of York), David Hayman (Earl of Worcester), James Laurenson (Earl of Westmoreland), Geoffrey Palmer (Lord Chief Justice), Harry Lloyd (Edmund Mortimer), Maxine Peake (Doll Tearsheet), Paul Ritter (Ancient Pistol), Robert Pugh (Owen Glendower), Alex Clatworthy (Lady Mortimer), Ian Conningham (Peto), Stephen McCole (Douglas), Adam Kotz (Hastings), Henry Faber (Prince John of Lancaster), Mark Tandy (Sir Richard Vernon), Pip Torrens (Mowbray), Tim McMullan (Silence), Michael Keane (Thomas Wart), Dominic Rowan (Coleville of the Dale), Jolyon Coy (Sir Walter Blun), John Hurt (the Chorus/Falstaff's boy as a man), Geraldine Chaplin (Alice), Paul Freeman (Thomas Erpingham), Tom Georgeson (Bardolph), Richard Griffiths (Duke of Burgundy), Paterson Joseph (Duke of York), Anton Lesser (Exeter), Paul Ritter (Ancient Pistol), Malcolm Sinclair (Archbishop of Canterbury), Owen Teale (Captain Fluellen), Mélanie Thierry (Princess Katherine), Lambert Wilson (Charles, King of France), Edward Akrout (Louis, the Dauphin), Tom Brooke (Corporal Nym), Jeremie Covillaut (Montjoy), Maxime Lefrançois (The Constable of France), Stanley Weber (Duke of Orleans), Gwilym Lee (Williams), Richard Clothier (Earl of Salisbury), Nigel Cooke (Bishop of Ely), John Dagleish (Peto), George Sargeant (Falstaff’s boy). Cinematography by Danny Cohen (Richard II) and Ben Smithard (Henry IV, Parts I & II); produced by Pippa Harris, Sam Mendes, Gareth Neame, and Rupert Ryle-Hodges. Released 2015, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. From the picture of the back of the package above, you can see that this is marked for Region B only, and this is also pointed out in the Amazon for sale posting. It would appear no Region A or C version of this has been released. Grade: NA

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Henry IV Part I

Shakespeare Henry IV Part I play. Directed 2014 by Gregory Doran at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Stars Jasper Britton (King Henry IV), Alex Hassell (Prince Hal), Antony Sher (Sir John Falstaff), Trevor White (Hotspur), Sean Chapman (Earl of Northumberland/Earl of Douglas), Joshua Richards (Bardolph/Owen Glendower), Paola Dionisotti (Mistress Quickly), Jennifer Kirby (Lady Percy), Elliot Barnes-Worrell (Prince John/Francis), Marin Bassindale (Peto), Antony Byrne (Earl of Worcester), Nicholas Gerard-Martin (Carrier/Sir Michael), Robert Gilbert (Lord Edmund Mortimer/Carrier), Jonny Glynn (Rakehell), Nia Gwynne (Lady Mortimer), Jim Hooper (Sir Richard Vernon), Yousseff Kerkour (Earl of Westmoreland/Ostler), Sam Marks (Ned Poins), Keith Osborn (Archbishop of York/Sheriff), Leigh Quinn (Traveller),  Simon Thorp (Sir Walter Blunt/Lord Chief Justice),  and Simon Yadoo (Chamberlain/Vinter). Designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis; lighting by Tim Mitchell; music by Paul Englishby; sound by Martin Slavin; movement by Michael Ashcroft; fights by Terry King; screen director was Robin Lough; screen producer was John Wyver. Released 2015, this disc has 5.1 dts Master Audio. Grade: A+

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Henry IV Part II

Shakespeare Henry IV Part II play. Directed 2014 by Gregory Doran at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Stars Elliot Barnes-Worrell (Prince John), Marin Bassindale (Snare/Peto/Duke of Clarence), Jasper Britton (King Henry IV), Antony Byrne (Rumour/Porter/Pistol), Sean Chapman (Earl of Northumberland), Paola Dionisotti (Mistress Quickly), Oliver Ford Davies (Justice Shallow), Nicholas Gerard-Martin (Lord Hastings/Feeble/Davy), Robert Gilbert (Travers/Sir John Coleville), Jonny Glynn (Morton/Earl of Warwick/Shadow), Nia Gwynne (Doll Tearsheet/Lady Northumberland), Alex Hassell (Prince Hal), Jim Hooper (Justice Silence/Gower), Yousseff Kerkour (Earl of Westmoreland/Fang/Bullcalf), Jennifer Kirby (Lady Percy), Sam Marks (Ned Poins), Keith Osborn (Archbishop of York), Leigh Quinn (Wart/Duke of Gloucester), Joshua Richards (Bardolph), Luca Saraceni-Gunner (Falstaff's Page), Antony Sher (Sir John Falstaff), Simon Thorp (Lord Chief Justice), Trevor White (Lord Mowbray), and Simon Yadoo (Lord Randolph/Mouldy/Beadle). Designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis; lighting by Tim Mitchell; music by Paul Englishby; sound by Martin Slavin; movement by Michael Ashcroft; fights by Terry King; screen director was Robin Lough; screen producer was John Wyver. Released 2015,  disc has 5.1 dts Master Audio. Grade: A

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The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Shakespeare The Two Gentlemen of Verona play. Directed 2014 by Simon Godwin at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Stars Mark Arends (Proteus), Elliot Barnes-Worrell (Outlaw), Martin Bassindale (Speed), Pearl Chanda (Julia), Nicholas Gerard-Martin (Turio), Robert Gilbert (Outlaw), Jonny Glynn (Duke of Milan), Molly Gromadzki (Host/Outlaw), Youssef Kerkour (Sir Eglamour), Sarah MacRae (Silvia), Michael Marcus (Valentine), Roger Morlidge (Launce), Keith Osborn (Antonio), Leigh Quinn (Lucetta/Outlaw), Simon Yadoo (Panthino/Outlaw), and Mossup (Crab) [Mossup, a dog, plays the role of Crab, Launce's pet]. Design by Paul Wills; lighting design by Bruno Poet; music by Michael Bruce; sound by Christopher Shutt; movement by Jonathan Goddard. Directed for TV by Robin Lough; produced by John Wyver. Released 2015, this disc has 5.1 dts Master Audio. Grade: NA

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The Merchant of Venice

Shakespeare The Merchant of Venice motion picture. Michael Radford directed and wrote this film in 2004. Stars Al Pacino (Shylock), Jeremy Irons (Antonio), Joseph Fiennes (Bassanio), Lynn Collins (Portia), Zuleikha Robinson (Jessica), Kris Marshall (Gratiano), Charlie Cox (Lorenzo), Heather Goldenhersh (Nerissa), Mackenzie Crook (Launcelot Gobbo), John Sessions (Salerio), Gregor Fisher,(Solanio), Ron Cook (Old Gobbo), Allan Corduner (Tubal), Anton Rodgers (The Duke), David Harewood (Prince of Morocco), and Jules Werner (Franciscan Friar). Music by Jocelyn Pook; cinematography by Benoît Delhomme; editing by Lucia Zucchetti; produced by Cary Brokaw, Michael Cowan, Jason Piette, Barry Navidi, and Luciano Martino. Released 2014, disc has 5.1 surround sound. Grade: NA

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Coriolanus

Shakespeare Coriolanus motion picture. Ralph Fiennes directed this film in 2011. Stars Ralph Fiennes (Caius Martius Coriolanus), Gerard Butler (Tullus Aufidius), Vanessa Redgrave (Volumnia), Brian Cox (Menenius), Jessica Chastain (Virgilia), John Kani (General Cominius), James Nesbitt (Sicinius), Paul Jesson (Brutus), Lubna Azabal (Tamora), Ashraf Barhom (Cassius), Slavko Štimac (Volsce lieutenant), Dragan Mićanović (Titus), Radoslav Milenković (Volsce politician), Harry Fenn (Young Martius), and Jon Snow (TV Anchorman). Screenplay by John Logan; music by Ilan Eshkeri; cinematography by Barry Ackroyd; editing by Nicolas Gaster; produced by Ralph Fiennes, John Logan, Gabrielle Tana, Julia Taylor-Stanley, and Colin Vaines. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 surround sound. Grade: A+

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King Lear

Shakespeare King Lear motion picture. Trevor Nunn directed this television film in 2008. Stars Ian McKellen (King Lear), Romola Garai (Cordelia), William Gaunt (Earl of Gloucester),  Jonathan Hyde (Earl of Kent), Philip Winchester (Edmund), Sylvester McCoy (The Fool), Frances Barber (Goneril),  Monica Dolan (Regan), David Weston (A Gentleman), Guy Williams (Duke of Cornwall), Seymour Matthews (Curan), John Heffernan (Oswald) Ben Meyjes (Edgar), Julian Harries (Duke of Albany), Naomi Capron (Maid), Kieran Bew (Soldier), Peter Hinton (Duke of Burgundy), and Ben Addis (King of France). Music by Steve Edis; cinematography by Paul Wheeler; editing by Dave Thrasher; art direction by Emma Davis; produced by Andy Picheta and Richard Price. Released 2008, disc has 5.1 surround sound. Grade: NA

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