The David Tennant Fan's Christmas Wish List - Shakespeare

It's almost that time of year again, yes Christmas is almost upon us, and our thoughts turn to treating our friends and family to a gift we hope they will truly treasure. So we've decided to compile a guide to what we think would be the ideal gifts for any fan of David Tennant whether that be your friends and family or indeed if you feel like treating yourselves.
Todays list of gift ideas to consider are all Shakespeare related and no David Tennant fan should be without them:

1. Much Ado About Nothing recording starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate
A recording to replay over and over again as David Tennant and Catherine Tate appear together on stage for the first time in William Shakespeare’s timeless comedy Much Ado About Nothing.
Two young lovers, Claudio and Hero, are to be married imminently but the devious scheming of a resentful Prince looks set to thwart the nuptials. Meanwhile, marriage seems inconceivable for reluctant lovers Beatrice and Benedick whose endless witty sparring threatens to keep them apart forever.
Directed by Josie Rourke, Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s great plays and reminds us all of the failings and triumphs of the human condition in our never ending search for perfect love.
Available to download worldwide from Digital Theatre from £8.99

2. Hamlet starring David Tennant on Blu-ray or DVD
Director Gregory Doran’s modern-dress Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company features David Tennant’s thrilling, mercurial and often very funny central performance. 
This visually sumptuous screen version, filmed on location with the original stage cast, captures the atmosphere and excitement of the critically acclaimed production. Patrick Stewart won an Olivier Award for his performance as Claudius, King of Denmark. Penny Downie plays Hamlet’s mother Gertrude and Mariah Gale is the tragic Ophelia. Edward Bennett is Ophelia’s avenging brother Laertes, and Oliver Ford Davies takes the role of their father Polonius.






3. Shakespeare's Sonnetts DVD
Released alongside a spectacular edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets for the Apple iPad, this beautifully produced DVD features specially filmed performances of all 154 Sonnets by a stellar cast of actors including, Fiona Shaw, Sir Patrick Stewart and David Tennant. William Shakespeare's Sonnets are among the most beautiful and most fascinating poems ever written. All of the poems, together with their enigmatic Dedication, are featured in readings by a star-studded cast. A full-colour accompanying booklet features each actor, a list of their Sonnets and a short biobraphy. Other contributors include actors Simon Callow, Simon Russell Beale, Kim Cattrall, Dominic West and Stephen Fry, as well as prominent experts on Shakespeare such as Professor James Shapiro and voice coach Cicely Berry. The mysteries and marvels of Shakespeare's Sonnets are revealed as never before in these vivid, compelling and accessible performances. Actors featured in Shakespeare's Sonnets: Bruce Alexander, Sam Alexander, Nonzo Anosie, Annette Badland, Edward Bennett, Cicely Berry Tilly Blackwood, David Calder, Simon Callow, Kim Cattrall, Ben Crystal, Noma Dumezweni, Katherine Duncan-Jones, Mark Ebulue, Adetomiwa Edun, Kate Fleetwood, Oliver Ford Davies, Polly Frame, Stephen Fry, John Heffernan, Tunji Kasim, Simon Manyonda, Niamh McGrady, Andrew Motion, Ruth Negga, Don Paterson, Sian Philips, Emily Plumtree, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Diana Quick, Jemma Redgrave, Simon Russell Beale, Kerry Shale, Jim Shapiro Fiona Shaw, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Sir Patrick Stewart, David Tennant, Harriet Walter, Dominic West, and Henry Woudhuysen.




4. Much Ado About Nothing Audio Book
David Tennant and Samantha Spiro star as Beatrice and Benedick in this BBC Radio 4 production of Shakespeare's much-loved comedy. "Much Ado About Nothing" is one of Shakespeare's greatest love stories and a comic tour de force. Exploring the eternal themes of love, jealousy and honour, it focuses on two pairs of very different lovers and their trials and tribulations en route to the altar. Claudio and Hero are in love and soon to be married. As they await the wedding, they decide to play a trick on their friends Beatrice and Benedick, two confirmed singletons who scorn marriage and enjoy nothing more than expressing their mutual disdain. Can they persuade Benedick that Beatrice is in love with him - and vice versa? Meanwhile, the evil Don John plots to destroy Claudio and Hero's love...Shakespeare's delightful play sparkles with the wonderful verbal sparring of Beatrice and Benedick, as high comedy and melodrama mix in a magical combination. Featuring a star cast including Emilia Fox, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Julian Rhind-Tutt, and with specially-composed music, this witty, fast-paced comedy is sure to enchant all listeners. The 'Classic Radio Theatre' range presents notable radio productions of much-loved plays by some of the most renowned playwrights, and starring some of our finest actors.


5. From Shakespeare With Love
The story: only days after finishing his widely-praised production of Hamlet in the West End, David Tennant came into the Naxos AudioBooks studio to record some of Shakespeare's finest sonnets, including Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?. He joined a strong cast of readers presenting some 70 sonnets in fresh performances to mark the 400th anniversary of the first publication of The Sonnets in 1609.




6. Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare Theatre Tie In
The biggest theatrical event of 2011 saw David Tennant and Catherine Tate, the stars of the BBC's hugely successful drama series, Dr Who, reunited and appearing for the first time together on stage, playing Beatrice and Benedick, Shakespeare's famously fractious couple. Two young lovers Claudio and Hero are to be married but the devious scheming of a resentful Prince looks set to thwart the nuptials. Meanwhile, marriage seems inconceivable for reluctant lovers Beatrice (Catherine Tate) and Benedick (David Tennant) whose endless witty sparring threatens to keep them apart forever! Alongside the text this tie-in edition includes interviews with both stars, an introduction by the director, and a diary of the first week of rehearsal, providing a unique and original insight into one of Shakespeare's greatest and best-loved comedies.


7. Much Ado About Nothing Cast Recording
Songs performed by the cast of Much Ado About Nothing including David Tennant and Catherine Tate.


8. Something Written In The State Of Denmark
Following in the footsteps of Nick Asbury's bestselling Exit Pursued by a Badger, actor and Royal Shakespeare Company alumnus Keith Osborn tells the story of the company's extraordinary 2008/9 season in Stratford and London, with much drama on and off stage. Keith appeared in Gregory Doran's acclaimed productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Love's Labours Lost and, of course, Doran's Hamlet with David Tennant in the title role. Keith's blog was followed loyally by thousands of readers, the book contains some new material covering the early parts of the season and a short account of the BBC's filming of Hamlet in the summer of 2009, rounded out with many rehearsal and production photos taken throughout the season.



9. The Essential Shakespeare Live
Following the success of "The Essential Shakespeare", the British Library and the Royal Shakespeare Company are proud to present a second audio set of live Shakespeare recordings, Essential Shakespeare Encore. The two discs feature scenes and speeches taken from RSC productions in Stratford-upon- Avon and London, recorded by the British Library and the RSC over a period of almost half a century. As in the first volume, all the recordings are being published for the first time. The extracts, chosen by RSC Chief Associate Director Gregory Doran, are taken from productions that were not included previously, so as to complement the first volume. The roll-call of prestigious portrayals runs from Paul Robeson's legendary Othello in 1959 to David Tennant's highly-acclaimed Hamlet in 2008. Among the other memorable productions are Peter Hall's 'Henry IV', Trevor Nunn's 'The Winter's Tale', John Barton's 'The Merchant of Venice', Adrian Noble's 'Macbeth', Sam Mendes' 'Troilus and Cressida' and the recent 'Histories Cycle' of Michael Boyd. Notable actors include Ian Holm, David Suchet, Juliet Stevenson, Ian Richardson, Jonathan Pryce, Ralph Fiennes, Simon Russell Beale, Harriet Walter, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. Track listing DISC ONE 1. Othello [1959] (featuring Paul Robeson) From Act 1 Scene 3 2. Henry IV Part 1 [1964] (featuring Ian Holm) From Act 2 Scene 4 3. The Winter s Tale [1971] (featuring Judi Dench) From Act 5 Scene 3 4. A Midsummer Night s Dream [1972] (featuring Ben Kingsley) From Act 2 Scene 1 5. Love s Labour s Lost [1975] (featuring Ian Richardson) From Act 4 Scene 3 6. The Merchant of Venice [1981] (featuring David Suchet) From Act 3 Scene 1 7. Measure for Measure [1984] (featuring Juliet Stevenson) From Act 3 Scene 1 8. Macbeth [1987] (fetauring Jonathan Pryce) From Act 1 Scene 7 9. Much Ado about Nothing [1991] (fetauring Roger Allam) From Act 4 Scene 1 10. Troilus and Cressida [1991] (featuring Simon Russell Beale) From Act 5 Scene 1 11. The Two Gentlemen of Verona [1992] (featuring Richard Moore) From Act 2 Scene 3 DISC TWO 1. Henry VIII (All is True) [1996] (featuring Ian Hogg) 2. Timon of Athens [1999] (featuring Michael Pennington) 3. King John [2001] (featuring Trevor Cooper) 4. Pericles [2002] (fetauring Roger Frost) 5. The Taming of the Shrew [2003] (featuring Ian Gelder) 6. Cymbeline [2003] (featuring Emma Fielding) 7. Antony and Cleopatra [2006] (featuring Patrick Stewart) 8. King Lear [2007] (featuring Ian McKellen) 9. Henry V [2008] (featuring Geoffrey Streatfeild) 10. Hamlet [2008] (featuring David Tennant)




10. The RSC Complete Works Of Shakespeare
Developed in partnership with The Royal Shakespeare Company, this fresh new Complete Works combines the very latest scholarship with elegant writing and design. It boasts a wealth of features that will appeal to public and academic libraries, teachers, students and lovers of Shakespeare everywhere, including:
A definitive modernized edition of Shakespeare's text based on the 1623 First Folio (the first and original Complete Works lovingly assembled by Shakespeare's fellow actors and the version of Shakespeare's text preferred by many actors and directors today);
Thought-provoking essays on each play and a superb general introduction by Professor Jonathan Bate;
Jargon-free on-page notes which explain words or references unfamiliar to modern audiences;
Photographs of classic or unusual performances;
Clear, single-column page design, with plenty of space for writing notes;
A key facts 'box' for each play which summarises the plot, major roles, language and sources.
Leading the editorial team is renowned Shakespearean scholar Professor Jonathan Bate who has worked in close collaboration over many years with the artists and archivists at the RSC. His introductions and notes draw on a unique wealth of experience and resources and will help the reader to understand Shakespeare's plays as they were originally intended - as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed.