The Movie

William Shakespeare... hmm... an enduring literary and cultural figure whose collected works stand as a lasting testament to the breadth and depth of human achievement, or the bane of literature students around the world?

I somehow managed to procure a college degree in English and American Literature without reading more than three or four of The Bard's works (And, if I recall correctly, wasn't a "bard" the only character class in Dungeons and Dragons who could defeat entire kobold armies while armed with nothing more than a lute? Must reconfirm...) Like many, most of my exposure to Shakespeare has come through film and popular culture, through straight adaptations to imaginative and contemporized reconceptions, the best of which being Kurosawa's masterful reimagination of Macbeth as Throne of Blood and Bob and Doug Mackenzie's brilliant Strange Brew, a slovenly yet sublime take on Hamlet. That these stories have been reinterpreted for modern audiences should come as no surprise, really; Shakespeare excelled at taking old tales, folklore, legends and oral traditions from the past and adapting them into his own works. These universal themes speak to the assorted veracities of the human condition; their relevance to past and contemporary audiences cannot be denied.

While in London in 1997, a friend convinced me to check out The Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at the Criterion Theater. My expectations geared me into thinking the show would be little more than a slightly humorous if ultimately a prostratingly respectful nod towards Shakespeare's body of work -- the type of presentation that your high school English teacher made you watch, featuring a bunch of Renaissance Fair rejects, which you ultimately enjoyed because it got you out of the classroom for an hour.

When all was said and done, I hadn't laughed so hard in years. The show was equally brilliant and hilarious; a wondrous combination of satire, physical comedy, hysterical wordplay and joyous exuberance that revealed a thorough knowledge of Shakespeare's work, while at the same time never shying away from pointing out the faults, redundancies, and inane trademarks of these renown writings.

It didn't hurt that the 97-minute presentation was so full of imaginative stagings of the numerous plays: witness Titus Andronicus as a cooking show, Othello as a joyously embarrassing whiteboy rap, the various works about actually kings and rulers portrayed as a football game (with King Lear drawing a penalty for being an illegal fictional character on the field), and a Freudian analysis of Ophelia's emotional state in Hamlet that brings audience participation to a whole new level.

I loved the show so much that I saw it again when I returned to London four years later, dragging my brother along who was also as hesitant as I had been before(he ended up loving the show as well.) The Reduced Shakespeare Company has taken this show (as well as their other shows dealing with the Bible and the history of America) on tour around the world, entertaining audiences worldwide with its boistorous irreverence and joyful erudition. When it comes to your town, make a beeline to the theater and catch them while you can. Of course, if their tour bus misses your hometown, you could always watch Acorn Media's fantastic DVD of The Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).

The DVD

Video:
The show was taped and originally broadcast for television on PBS, so the video presentation is in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The quality of the video is very pleasant, limited by unavoidable noise that is inherent in many videotaped productions. Colors are strong and vibrant, with natural looking flesh tones and excellent separations that avoid bleeding or oversaturation. Contrast levels are spot on without edge-enhancement, jagged edges, or haloing. I did not notice any compression noise or pixellation. Image sharpness is clear and detailed. This is a very good transfer of the material, without any general faults or defects.

Audio:

The audio presentation is in Dolby Digital 2.0, and is satisfactory and clear without any real detractions. Dialog reproduction is absolutely critical in a live stage production such as this, and I found no faults here. If an occasional line or quip seems a little hard to hear at times, it is an intentional reproduction of a whispered or mumbled piece of dialog.

The Extras

The Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) comes with a surprising number of quality extras. There are not one but two Audio Commentary tracks. The first track features director Paul Kafno and actor/RSC founder Adam Long. The second features RSC performers Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor. Both commentary tracks are extremely interesting and informative, and a total hoot; Long even goes as far as to showcase various "mystery sounds"; if you get them right, you supposedly can win various prizes. Acorn Media owes me a stick of gum, but they seem to be ignoring my emails. I'm still waiting...

Also included is a home video presentation of an Early RSC Performance. Running nearly 18 minutes, this video shows an early performance of RSC's take on Romeo And Juliet. The performance was in a smaller, more intimate venue, yet it lacks none of their brilliance, energy, and humor.

Rounding out the supplements is a Trivia Game that tests your Shakespeare/RSC knowledge to see if thou art a scholar or fool. Finally, the Cast Bios includes biographical information for performers Adam Long, Reed Martin, and Austin Tichenor, as well as one for some guy named Bill. Take the time to read these; they're nearly as funny as the performance itself!

Final Thoughts:

If you can't see the Reduced Shakespeare Company live, of even if you already have, rush out and buy The Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). While I would have enjoyed a few less cuts of the audience laughing, there wasn't a single time watching the show when I wasn't thoroughly entertained. How often can you see the sum totality of the work of history's greatest playwright in less time than it takes to figure out the Architect's speech in The Matrix Reloaded ? Cliff's Notes be damned! Simply put, you haven't lived until you've seen Hamlet performed backwards. Throw in some great extras that are not only informative but fun as well, and you have a DVD that comes highly recommended.