Read by Ian Pepperell etc. - Arkangel Productions, 2003. - MP3, 64 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo. -
03:04:48.
In the seventh year of the Trojan War, Troy is besieged by the invading Greeks, but the young prince Troilus thinks only of the lovely Cressida. When Cressida is sent to the enemy camp, she falls for Diomedes as Troilus looks on in a jealous rage. Meanwhile, Achilles and a gang of Greek warriors finds and slaughters an unarmed Hector. This cynical play is one of the Bard's darkest comedies.
Performed by:Troilus - Ian Pepperell.
Cressida - Julia Ford.
Pandarus - Norman Rodway.
Ulysses - Gerard Murphy.
Agamemnon - Philip Voss.
Thersites - David Troughton.
Achilles - Julian Wadham.
Hector - Charles Simpson.
Diomedes - Duncan Bell.
Priam - Clifford Rose.
Aeneas - Rob Edwards.
Nestor - Trevor Martin.
Patroclus - Michael Higgs.
Paris - Chook Sibtain.
Ajax - Ben Martin.
Andromache - Carolyn Backhouse.
Prologue/Calchas - Ian Gelder.
Menelaus - Mark Lambert.
Helen - Annabel Capper.
Cassandra - Elli Garnett.
Deiphobus - Rupert Mason.
ACT I
Scene 1. Seven years have passed since the princes of Greece first began their siege of Troy, to avenge the abduction of Menelaus' wife Helen by Paris, son of Priam, King of Troy. Troilus, another Trojan prince, has no appetite for war, being in love with Cressida, whose father Calchas has defected to the Greeks. Her uncle Pandarus is acting as the lovers' go-between.
Scene 2. As Cressida watches the Trojan warriors returning from the battlefield Pandarus sings Troilus's praises. Cressida pretends lighthearted indifference but once she is alone she reveals her love for him.
Scene 3. Agamemnon, commander of the Greeks, is dissatisfied with the slow progress of the war. Ulysses believes that "Troy in our weakness stands, not in her strength." He places the blame with Achilles, who, inflated with his own heroic reputation, lounges in his tent with the scurrilous Thersites, ridiculing his fellow Greeks. Aeneas, a Trojan warrior, brings a challenge from Hector, son of Priam, to any Greek "that holds his honor higher than his ease." Ulysses understands that the challenge is meant for Achilles, but suggests to Nestor that they deflate the insolent warrior's pride by sending the "blockish Ajax" instead.
ACT II
Scene 1 . Thersites taunts Ajax, who beats him.
Scene 2. Priam's sons debate the Greeks' proposal that the Trojans return Helen and thus end the long and wasteful war. Hector believes they should agree to the terms, but Troilus and Helenus are opposed to what they consider a shameful capitulation. They are interrupted by the crazed ravings of Cassandra who foresees the destruction of Troy. Despite this, Paris and Troilus persuade their brother that Helen "is a theme of honor and renown," and that to give her up would bring shame.
Scene 3. Agamemnon seeks an interview with Achilles, who refuses to see him and announces, via Patroclus, that he will not take the field the next day. Agamemnon asks Ajax to talk to Achilles, but Ulysses and Nestor inundate the gullible Ajax with praise and convince him that he would demean himself by approaching Achilles for favors.
ACT III
Scene 1. Pandarus brings a message to Paris from Troilus asking him to make his brother's excuses for not supping with his father that night. Helen and Paris tease the old go-between.
Scene 2 . Troilus and Cressida are at last brought together by Pandarus. Cressida swears eternal love to Troilus, saying that her name must become a byword for falseness if she prove unfaithful to him.
Scene 3. Agamemnon agrees to Calchas's request that Cressida be brought to the Greek camp in exchange for the captured Trojan, Antenor. Agamemnon and Ajax snub Achilles. When he asks whether they have forgotten his achievements, Ulysses replies that only the hero of the moment will receive acclaim, and tells him that he is being eclipsed by Ajax. Achilles is fearful for his reputation and wishes to see Hector; he therefore sends Thersites to Ajax to persuade him to invite Hector to his tent after the forthcoming combat.
ACT IV
Scene 1. Diomedes enters Troy to exchange Antenor for Cressida.
Scene 2 . Aeneas goes to Pandarus's house and informs Troilus of the exchange of Cressida and Antenor. Cressida is adamant that she will not go.
Scene 3 . Paris sympathizes with unhappy Troilus as he prepares to fetch Cressida and deliver her to the Greeks.
Scene 4. Troilus and Cressida part in great pain, exchanging a sleeve and a glove as tokens of their love.
Scene 5. Cressida arrives at the Greek camp and is kissed and flirted with by the Greek leaders. Ulysses believes that "her wanton spirits look out/At every joint and motive of her body." Ajax and Hector fight, but not to the death, since Hector insists that their kinship forbids the shedding of blood. Hector meets amicably with the Greeks, the visit only marred by Achilles' boastful declaration that he will kill the Trojan prince. Troilus, who has accompanied Hector, asks Ulysses to bring him to where he may have sight of Cressida; Ulysses agrees, telling Troilus that Cressida has captivated Diomedes.
ACT V
Scene 1 . Achilles, Patroclus and Thersites exchange bantering insults, and Achilles announces that a vow he has made will keep him from the next day's battle. Achilles welcomes Hector to his tent.
Scene 2. Troilus watches Diomedes paying court to Cressida. When Diomedes asks for a pledge, Cressida gives him Troilus's sleeve. Troilus is enraged, vowing to kill his rival.
Scene 3. Andromache, Cassandra and Priam attempt to persuade Hector against going to the field, but Hector is unmovable. When he, in turn, urges Troilus not to take arms, the young man is equally determined to fight. Pandarus brings Troilus a letter from Cressida, but he tears it up.
Scene 4. Troilus and Diomedes fight before Troy. Achilles spares Thersites' life.
Scend
5. Diomedes sends Troilus's horse to Cressida. When Achilles hears of Patroclus's death at the hands of Hector, he arms himself for revenge.
Scene 6. Troilus fights with both Ajax and Diomedes.
Scene 7. Thersites refuses to fight with Priam's bastard son Margarelon.
Scene 8 . When Achilles finds Hector resting and unarmed, he orders his Myrmidons to kill him.
Scene 9. Word reaches Agamemnon and the Greeks that Hector is dead, slain by Achilles.
Scene 10. Troilus announces the death of Hector to the Trojans. Pandarus has the embittered last word.