Play/Film Highlight: “The Complete Work of William Shakespeare: Abridged”
Vomiting before you die. Spit takes. Godzilla toys.
Ah. Just like the spectacular Shakespeare intended his works to be seen.
The man with writing swagger who made good plays an addiction for many, captivating all our eyeballs with his star-crossed lovers, lonely souls, tragedies, and wild-goose chases probably feels majestic from them from above, watching his works still being performed over four hundred years later.
CHALLENGE! I added a handful of words he invented in this long sentence. Can you find them all 😉
When I was a senior in high school, I was a part of FTA: Future Teachers of America. Myself and another senior signed up to do a student exchange for a day at a neighboring school district. Their ambassadors showed us around and we went to different classes. Granted, I went to the same math class for two different hours, ha! But, I do vividly recall going to a junior Language Arts class. The teacher apologized that they were watching a film. I sat in the center, front row. On the screen was a filmed performance.
This viewing changed my life.
It was a group called: The Reduced Shakespeare Company, three guys performing all of The Bard’s 40+ works in about an hour and 40 minutes (abridged versions, as the subtitle suggests.)
I was cackling and captured.
I searched for this thing on my dial-up internet afterward and was able to find it on a new video platform called YouTube… (I’m waiting for the old jokes now.)
Finishing it, I had to own it and share its goodness with the world.
Other than one person, everyone who has seen this masterpiece has roared with laughter and still quote it with me today. Even those who are not huge fans of Mr. William.
Trying to create a religion for this playwriter’s legend,
Fire swallowing,
The histories as a football game,
A very meaty-themed, revenge-filled cooking show,
Saving time with the comedies,
Authentic Scottish accents for the cursed play,
Audience participation to the extreme for The Prince of Ham (that lasts longer than their version of this greatest play written in the English language,)
Learning how to tuck our clothes in properly in the well-known teenage romance of the 1600s.
All these versions while this trio of literature-loving fellows run around the stage in brightly colored tights and matching Converse high-tops (each having their own signature hue like dramatic Power Rangers) is a fast-paced treat you want to sink your teeth into again and again (although I would not recommend the stew…)
Adam, Austin, and Reed, having not only degrees in literature, but are forces of delightful, charming chaos whirlwinds. One being a part of theater troops for Shakespeare since high school and another part of a circus, know how to connect the bard’s works to their audience.
Their skills with one stage, two ugly wigs, three actors for all the roles, and a handful of simple props are top-notch! And the last five minutes… a festive frenzy feast! I don’t want to spoil it… but it is ingenious! Chef kiss!
Quick, witty, creative, modern, hilarious, engaging, and secretly educational, this helped my enjoyment of Shakespeare grow immensely and helped me grasp the plots.
And the best part? You can watch it In its entirety on YouTube for FREE! I was lucky to have gotten the DVD on their website about 18 years ago. Sadly, trying to find a copy now is hard or expensive.
Here it is:
https://youtu.be/Vd4h16DWpdU?si=FojcO5JO5QsqPu6a
They have also written other “abridged” scripts. I have the filmed play version of “The Complete Guide to American History” (which sadly, Adam is not in,) and my local college performed “All The Great Books.” They also have ones for Hollywood, the Bible, Sports, Christmas Stories, and Comedy (all abridged.)
And they still do tours and podcasts now!
https://www.reducedshakespeare.com/
