By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com
That most popular theatrical mash-up farce of the late 20th century, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” created by the Reduced Shakespeare Company, has received its own upgrade to meet the 21st century in “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised],” now playing at a break-neck pace in weekend performances at Live Theatre Workshop.
Artistically, its goal is still the same: to boil down all 37 of Shakespeare's plays to a script that can be performed in some 90 minutes...plus intermission.
Under the manic direction of Rick Shipman, a trio of actors have been convinced to hurl themselves all about the stage, wear enough silly clothes to fill a Good Will clothing outlet and still maintain the professional qualities of precise timing, choreographic fluidity and amazing physical fitness.
There are even several minutes of sanity when an eloquent speech rises from a cascading detritus of tattered clippings to be delivered straight with no chaser – or chasee.
Patrick Burke is the one who delivers this pause for real Shakespeare, assuring us he could do any of the Bard's finest works if he just had a mind to. This solitary spot of calm mocks a sea of literary chaos that never stops throwing up familiar moments from the revered canon to smack against wacky references of something else entirely.
Joining Burke to pursue Shipman's madcap journey around this particular Maypole of hasty quotes and wrecking ball reactions are Matthew C. Copley and Chris Moseley. All three achieve distinction in their desire to show no restraint whatsoever.
Though I haven't seen the original 25-year-old “(Abridged}” version in a number of years, this new “(Abridged) [Revised]” version seems to have less Shakespeare in it and more fooling around. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
A healthy helping of raunchy humor is in there, too, which would actually be more in keeping with the iconic playwright's own tastes for ribald references.
The bad boys of this abridgment are listed in the program as Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield. Thanks to their pop culture observations, we now get Shakespeare with cell phones, computers and, of course, a rapper who tells the story of Othello in the beats and rhymes of today.
But rest easy, you devotees of keeping William Shakespeare on his academic pedestal. The members of this company are not cynical thespians of ill repute. These actors don't come to bury Shakespeare, but to praise him – with laughter and applause.
"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised]" continues through Oct. 11 at Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. Performances are at 7:30 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. An additional performance is 7:30 p.m Thursday, Oct. 9. All tickets are $20, with discounts available. For details and reservations, 520-327-4242, or visit www.livetheatreworkshop.org
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