Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast!

 

Dr Gemma Regan

 

Everything you think you know about Shakespeare and his supposedly boring plays will be proven wrong by a fantastic new production, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), directed by Darren Gilshenan.  Knowing that "Brevity is the soul of wit” you see all 37 plays in the record time of 97 minutes rejuvenated with the riotous comedy that old Shaky perchance to dream of, by the funniest three actors in Australia: Amy Ingram (Pride and Prejudice, Cinderella); Stephen Hirst (A Very Naughty Christmas, Macbeth) and Tomas Pocilujko (Murder at the Manor, Plied and Prejudice).

 

It is the best production of Shakespeare that I've seen, and as a massive fan of the Bard, I’ve seen hundreds all over the world, including those by the RSC in Stratford and at The Globe in London. If you love Shakespeare or hate it, young or old, you will not stop laughing. My jaw was aching the next day. I laughed so much!

 

The trio are risqué, unique and cannot be trumped by any thespian troop for entertainment value. With their rapier wit, quick thinking repartee and incredible skills, they are a multitude of characters of both sexes, including the all-inclusive cross-dressing.

 

After a stern multi-faceted trigger warning, you will be gently introduced to the Bard’s works by an esteemed academic, who resembles the pompous Kenneth Branagh, before being whisked through the tragedies, comedies and a clever sporty interpretation of the historical plays from to a hilarious Hamlet finale done every which way.   

 

The synergy and dynamism of the three actors in this risqué interpretation was magical. The audience is part of the melee as they are cleverly drawn over the fourth wall and into the chaos and calamitous relationships. Stereotypes abound, with a multitude of wigs, costumes and props flying against an excellent replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, designed by Penny Challen. 

 

Writers Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield were the founding members of the Reduced Shakespeare Company performing The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) at the 1987 Edinburgh Festival and then in a long run at The Criterion in London. Many new colloquial puns and Aussie references have been cleverly integrated to ‘Ocker Up’ the presentation.

 

The generational gap disappears with the many modern references, with the teenage students laughing as much as the more mature audience and finally ‘getting’ the quotes and being entertained with Shakespeare as he meant it to be (or not to be!)

So “Live a little; comfort a little; cheer thyself a little” with a few hours of utter hilarity and fun by seeing The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) before it departs, and we all know that “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”