ABOVE: Ben Briggs, Kyle Stella and Teague Parker rehearse. Photo by Jaden Moon // AS Review
By Josh Hughes
Have you ever wanted to watch all of Shakespeare’s comedies in one single, 10 minute play? Have you ever visualized “Titus Andronicus” as a cooking show? Do you wish “Romeo & Juliet” was under ten minutes long and performed with only three actors? If so, this could very well be the perfect night of Shakespearian appreciation for you.
From November 10 through 12, Western’s Department of Theatre and Dance is putting on a rendition of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).” Directed by Eric Brake and starring Ben Briggs, Teague Parker, and Kyle Stella, the play parodies the quintessential playwright by performing all 37 of his plays in 90 minutes. Presented in the DUG Underground Theater in the PAC, the two-act play is a whirlwind of hilarious references and fourth wall breaking that quite genuinely makes the audience part of the performance.
Briggs, Parker, and Stella each impersonate a good thirty different characters throughout the runtime, with skits including silly string puke, an extremely Scottish Macbeth, and a rapped/sung Othello. All three actors deliver wildly energetic performances, reenacting plays within plays within plays (ever thought you’d see a puppet show in Hamlet?), and it’s something like watching a hummingbird hyperventilate to see them break in and out of different characters so frequently and fluidly.
Without giving anything meaty away, The Complete Works references everything from WWII to the television show “Scandal” to interpretive dance all in a matter of minutes. Additionally, the more Shakespeare you understand, the more jokes will inevitably land better, but it’s a hilariously entertaining play even if you have no knowledge beyond “Romeo & Juliet” or “to be or not to be.” So much happens so quickly that it nearly feels impossible to understand everything that’s happening, but that’s all quite integrally part of the experience. Since the DUG Theater only goes three rows back, the show comes off as intimate to the entire audience, so don’t be surprised if you find one of the actors planted next to you before the show starts. The scripted and improvised sections blend so seamlessly into each other, it gets hard to distinguish one from the other. Regardless, expect nothing less than a wholly unique and hysterical take on the bard.
Starting at 7 p.m. each night, the show costs $3 at the door (cash only), but admission is free if you give a donation to their GoFundMe at https://www.gofundme.com/2pkrhn8. Since the theater only seats 100 people, be sure to get there early to get a good spot. Or show up later and sit in the back if you really don’t like silly string. Either way, if you like Shakespeare or have the burning desire to laugh out loud, be sure to check out the production.
