The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

I first saw this filmed version in my freshman year in high school when I was just starting to appreciate the works of Shakespeare, and this has just made me fall in love with the Bard more. Ever since I first saw this, I've seen it hundreds of times and even read the script, only to find myself still laughing. Watching Austin, Adam, and Reed is like spending 90 minutes with three best friends who only want to entertain you. Seeing it live was indeed a highlight and I don't think I'll ever stop listening to the Othello rap. The comedic timing is hilarious and their talent at improvisation is priceless. Reduced Shakespeare Company, you've made my life so much more complete. :)

Oh . . . my . . . god. I just saw this movie last night and it was the best and the hardest laugh I'd had in a long time. My back was killing me by the time the movie was over. The costume changes (if you could call them that by the end of the movie) are great, the vomiting is great, and the digs at academia are great. Even though it warns that this movie is not meant for English majors (I'm an English major and I can't wait to see this movie again), I think that they really mean that it's not meant for those who take Shakespeare way too seriously, who view Shakespeare as some sort of demi-god.

Only two complaints: The director cuts to the audience a little too much. You can hear that they're having fun, they're laughing, they're getting into the play, we don't need to see their reactions as well. The action goes by so quickly, I wonder if I'm missing something on stage when they cut to the audience. The other complaint: my friend sitting next to me who was viewing it for the fifth time ("Oh, this is great," "watch this," "Oh this part's funny.")

Definitely for anyone who's read Shakespeare (which would be everyone) and thought that it could never be anything but dull and boring (which in reality his plays are very rich, but then again I'm biased). :-)

10/10

I first encountered this grandly amusing entertainment as a live production at my university campus some years ago. My son and I decided to to go based solely on the play's title, and a winking caricature of Shakespeare displayed on the poster. Little did we know what that wink signified, as we had no idea of the lunacy that was in store for us. When "The Reduced Shakespeare Company" came available on VHS (then, later, DVD), I purchased it, and have been enjoying and sharing it ever since.

As a secondary English teacher, I have difficulty sometimes getting my students to embrace the classics. When I mention Shakespeare, eyes roll, heads fall onto desks, and moans can be heard. It's like getting a small child to eat his vegetables. Like broccoli, the classics are good for us, but they're hard for some to digest.

Enter the Reduced Shakespeare Company with its "The Complete Works of "William Shakespeare (Abridged)." I have used excerpts in class to show the kids that Shakespeare can be a lot of fun. With their more-or-less complete versions of "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet," even my most resistant students know the major plot points and themes of these plays.

The overview of the other plays is inspired, lumping the main ideas of Shakespeare's comedies into one tossed-salad. The histories are also compressed in a manner that only Americans could have devised.

And, one can never view "Othello" in quite the same way after hearing the "Reduced Shakesperians" rendition of "Othello Rap." This performance is much more (or less) than a teaching tool. It is a rollicking, comedic fun time for all. If you like Shakespeare already, you'll like the witty satire going on here. If you like the Three Stooges, the slapstick is right up your alley. If you have a short attention span, don't worry. One can view this performance as a whole, or pick out bits one finds amusing.

I have viewed "The Complete Works" several times now, both with my family and with my students, and each time I find a new joke, or even a new insight, that I missed earlier.

Some have suggested that Shakespeare is perhaps rolling in his grave at this treatment of his plays. I like to believe, however, that if he were alive today, Will would be laughing--all the way to the bank.

A magnificent stage performance. The first half runs through 36 of Will's plays, at about 2 minutes a play. The second half is the funniest production of Hamlet you are ever likely to see. These three guys provide one of the most energetic and comic stage performances possible. And they involve the audience in ways that give a new dimension to the concept of audience participation.

The Reduced Shakespeare Company has been touring for many years now, but this production in Vancouver is as fresh as if they had opened yesterday. The interplay between the three actors, their audience 'volunteers' and the immortal bard provide one of the greatest comedy experiences you are ever likely to see. Don't miss them - on stage (but don't sit in the front row!) or on screen.

Most comedies based upon the works of others have a tendency to start with an inspired idea, but in the end don't come across as well as they should have (think _Bridget Jones's Diary_). Here, on the other hand, is quite possibly the funniest thing ever done on a stage anywhere. The three members of the Reduced Shakespeare Company have, over the course of 20+ years, refined and honed this show to the point where all you get is the lean meat - there's not an ounce of fat to be seen. The only point during the entire DVD where I stop laughing is the three-second intermission between the first and second half of the show (well-placed, as it gives me a chance to catch my breath). 10 is too low a rating to give this gem.