The Two Noble Kinsmen

A late tragicomedy by Shakespeare and John Fletcher, this play, based on Chaucer's "The Knight's Tale," concerns the rivalry between two chivalrous knights, Palamon and Arcite, for the love of a woman. The play is a rarely staged, somewhat ceremonial work, so this balanced and effective performance, which may be the first unabridged recording of it, is particularly appreciated. Clive Brill's direction mostly avoids the busy sound effects that characterize the Arkangel series. The subplot of the jailer's daughter (Sarah-Jane Holm) and her hopeless love for Palamon (Jonathan Firth) is handled well and gives personality to a play in which the two main characters are sometimes hard to tell apart. G.H. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine