It’s a good thing the title specifies ‘abridged’ – as we are told almost immediately, the ‘original’ script would have been 100 hours long!
The Reduced Shakespeare Company hops across the pond to celebrate the 400th ‘Deathiversary’ of the bard himself by uncovering his mysteriously lost first play. Some names and themes will seem familiar – eight pairs of twins, plenty of cross dressing and lots of lovers, this first draft anticipates several of Shakespeare’s well known and loved plays.
The plot centres around a merry war betwixt Puck and Ariel which has them consorting with Macbeth’s witches, using Hamlet as a plaything and trying to set up Richard III with a happily ever after.
It is a romp of epic proportions and incredible speed, so much so it’s a wonder the actors Austin Tichenor, Reed Martin and Teddy Spencer can get all the words out in the right order. There is wonderful audience interaction when a tempest strikes, and Dale and Gale who appear in every show should also be given a mention.
You don’t have to be Shakes-fluent to enjoy this production, although knowledge of his better known characters, Disney and fairy-lore will make it even more hilarious. Bright, fun, exciting and fast, only love for the bard could produce this level of outrageous fun.
Times: 6-29 (excluding 10, 17 and 24), 4.40pm
Tickets: £12-£13