Description

By taking the most famous scenes and monologues from the canon of Shakespearean works and presenting them in a contemporary style, new and often remarkable interpretations of the classic materials emerge. We see the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet as a late-night phone call, the witches from Macbeth as bag ladies, the wooing scene from The Taming of the Shrew as a wrestling bout, the confrontation between Harry and Hotspur from Henry IV done in ritualistic fighting mode, and Marc Antonyes speech from Julius Caesar as a press conference. Add to that energetic portrayals of a handful of the most recognizable Shakespearean soliloquies penned and you have a wonderful way to introduce young actors and audiences to the fantastic world of Elizabethan literature. Costume and prop requirements are minimal and other technical needs are virtually nonexistent. Single set. Approximate running time: 60 minutes.