Dive into the world of Shakespeare like never before as SRT presents London’s longest-running comedy, the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). It's a fast-paced romp through the best bits of the Bard's plays, giving audiences a crash course of 37 of Shakespeare's plays in just 97 minutes. As you can imagine, it's complete chaos. Glorious, hilarious chaos.
This October, Singapore Repertory Theatre will bring comedy to KC Arts Centre as three actors weave their wicked way through all of Shakespeare’s 37 comedies, histories, and tragedies in one wild 97-minute ride that will leave you breathless with laughter. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) will be directed by theatre veteran Daniel Jenkins (Lungs) and performed by Shane Mardjuki, Erwin Shah Ismail and Tia Andrea Guttensohn.
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) has been a riotous show to work on. We have tried to create a fresh, contemporary take on this classic comedy script, re-working sections to appeal more to a 2021 Singaporean audience," Director Daniel Jenkins says. "Having a cast of 3 actors has meant we have had to be creative with how we present each of Shakespeare’s plays and ensure what we may lack in numbers, we make up for in energy, inventiveness, imagination and nonstop laughs. I guarantee there will be many surprises in store for our audiences."
Review
“Shakespeare is boring,” is a sentiment that we hear from time to time amongst literature students and the theatre-going crowd. Unfounded? Maybe. But also stems from the fact that most don't understand his plays – especially since most of them are performed in Elizabethan English.
It'd be a shame, however, to completely write off William Shakespeare's works. After all, he is considered one of the greatest playwrights of all time. There are various modern movies and productions that were inspired by the bard's plays. She's The Man (2006) follows a plot similar to Twelfth Night; timeless classic West Side Story (1961) alludes to Romeo and Juliet; and who can forget Disney's Lion King (1994), which closely alludes to Hamlet. And whether we know it or not, some of our everyday phrases came right out of Shakespeare's plays – whether you've "seen better days" or go on a "wild goose chase".
Don't know where to start immersing yourself in the works of Shakespeare? Singapore Repertory Theatre has brought all 37 of the bard's plays in 97 minutes. Whether you're a Shakespeare fan or have never seen any of his plays, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) is the ultimate crash course you need.
Infinitely superior to Sparknotes, this hazardously hilarious show was first performed in 1981 on the stages of London's West End, playing at the Criterion Theatre for ten years. In recent years, this high-speed romp through the bard’s plays has toured numerous countries around the world, performing from the USA, Canada to New Zealand and Japan.
The experience starts at the entrance of the KC Arts Centre, where neon lights and the sound of hip hop thumping through the speakers greet you. You'll soon find that the entrance will set the tone for the evening, bringing you the world of Shakespeare like never before – from bloody cooking shows to Shakespeare mashups, song and dance numbers, and the fastest Hamlet you are ever likely to see. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) covers each comedy, tragedy, boring histories and sonnets in just 97 minutes. And here's the most impressive part: it's performed by only four actors.
Actors Erwin Shah Ismail, Tia Andrea Guttensohn, Shane Mardjuki and Dennis Sofian put huge smiles on the audience faces with the witty script (by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield) and their hilarious and brilliantly versatile acting. Here's a caveat: don't expect a conventional Shakespearean show with rolling R's, actors standing with feet ridiculously wide apart and constant spitting. The crew is making Shakespeare's plays accessible to the modern audience. Wong Chee Wai's set design is also cleverly complemented by Gabriel Chan's lighting and Ng Jing's sound design.
One thing's for sure, this uproarious and chaotic production is exactly what is needed during these times. And it's for everyone, whether you're familiar with Shakespeare or not.
To quote The Today Show, ‘If you like Shakespeare, you’ll like this show. If you hate Shakespeare, you’ll love this show!’
Review by Dewi Nurjuwita