Friends like these…
Timon Of Athens review
Production company – Next Chapter Podcasts
Rating – 
Being the uncultured swine that I am, I have always avoided the works of William Shakespeare. Friends of mine who are fans of The Bard have tried to convince otherwise, but I’m too stubborn to give the old man a shot.
A few weeks ago, I had an email asking if I’d be interested in reviewing their new adaptation of Shakespeare’s play Timon Of Athens. If someone takes the time to message me personally, then the least I can do is listen to their show. So with not a small amount of trepidation and prejudice, I subscribed and downloaded all three episodes.
So what’s it about?
Timon Of Athens is apparently one of Shakespeare’s lesser known works. This made me feel better about myself that I hadn’t heard of it before. It follows the trials and tribulations of the titular Timon, a wealthy lord in Athens, known for his generosity and lavish parties. Loved by everyone, his popularity is legendary. This popularity is superficial though, as (as you can probably guess) poor Timon falls on hard times as his not inconsiderable debts are called in.
His Head Steward, Flavia, is sent out to Timon’s friends to try and borrow some money to help him clear his bank balance. Which goes as well as you expect. What ensues is essentially a cautionary tale about how you choose to make friends, and who your friends really are.
Is it any good?
Having limited exposure to Shakespeare, I don’t have anything to compare this adaptation to. All I can say is that I really enjoyed it. Which, believe me, is quite a surprise for me to type.
The acting is great. I was half hoping it wouldn’t be a modern adaptation, and apart from the music choices, it is firmly in the correct time period. As such, the actors are very flamboyant and stereotypical of how you imagine Shakespearean actors to be. This is not to say they are cheesy or cliché. They are engaging and talented, and really help the story along.
This three part story zips along at quite a pace and is really not what I expected. If I’m honest, it will bear another play through. Not because it necessarily needs it, but because I listen to these shows at work, and distractions can play havoc with my concentration. This doesn’t bother me though, I am quite looking forward to it. At just three episodes it’s not a huge investment of time after all.
Final thoughts
What can I say? Play on Podcasts may have converted me into a Shakespeare fan. I may have given the impression that this is a new series. This play certainly is, but there are many other plays in the archives. I was quite surprised that it dates back four years, with the first play being “The Scottish Play”.
You can get Timon Of Athens here:
https://pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vcGxheW9u
For more great reviews, I recommend GreatPods