The Reduced Shakespeare Company - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (2000)

Replacing Old Stuff

Eh, just replaced my ancient VHS copy with the dvd. Always thought it was a funny show. Worth buying. August 22, 2008

The RSC will expand your mind!

The Reduced Theater Company is not to be missed. The DVD of the Complete works of William Shakespeare is second only to being in the audience for a performance. Those who aren't familiar with Shakespeare's plays will have no trouble getting the humor. Caution: you may never be able to read Shakespeare with a straight face after watching this DVD :) If you know the plays, you'll have to watch it multiple times to process all of the inside jokes. July 3, 2008

Shakespearean Laughs

I saw this show live many years ago, and while it is fabulous live, this video does do it justice. Filmed on stage before a live audience, the play holds true to the early production I saw. Audience participation is still fun to watch on the video, although I recommend getting your television viewing audience involved if possible. It truly gives a good overview of Shakespeare's art and makes it more accessible to someone who is intimidated by his plays. Just viewing the Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet sections of it makes the low price even more worthwhile. June 13, 2008

Shakespeare Fans- enjoy!

I absolutely loved this spoof of Shakespeare's works. My students really enjoyed the portion over Romeo & Juliet, and my advanced students got a kick out of Hamlet. The rest of the works are delivered really well also, but if you aren't familiar with the works, you may miss some of the clever humor. Either way, these three guys are a hit! April 10, 2008

Not as good as the live show...

My one complaint is that this isn't exactly a recording of a live RSC performance. It's done on a TV soundstage with a small audience, and it loses something in the controlled environment. For example, in live shows they poke fun mercilessly at people who arrive late. None of that here. Generally their improv and audience-participation humor is still there, but you have to wonder how spontaneous it really was in this case.

Another oddity: It was filmed in Vancouver, but at points they maintain the pretense that they're doing their London show (one explicit dialogue reference to being in London, and an passing comment that for a London audience they've got a lot of Americans). Again, makes it seem a bit fake.

So: Not a substitute for a true live performance, but their Reduced Shakespeare is good material, and this is a perfectly servicable performance of it. April 8, 2008

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