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THE INESSENTIAL SHAKESPEARE |
by John & Leela Hort
The Kabet
Press
Shakespeare in modern English
now available through SchoolPlay Productions Ltd.
"Shakespeare made entertaining and simple, faithful to the characters and scenes and capturing the essence of the originals" THE TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream: a shortened and simplified version in modern English ISBN 978 0 948662 03 4 |
| Cast | 20 speaking parts, 12m, 4f + 4 fairies. Some doubling possible. |
| Suggested Age Range | 11 upwards |
| Approx. Running Time | 70 minutes |
| Music | Plenty of opportunity for music (for example, the use of Mendelssohn's music for the play). |
| Set | The Duke's palace, Quince's house, a wood. |
| Synopsis | This play has everything - mistaken identity, jealous lovers, mischievous fairies, comic workmen - and it all adds up to a magical entertainment for young and old. Acting opportunities ranging from the seriously dramatic to light-hearted clowning. |
| Hamlet | Shakespeare's Hamlet: a shortened and simplified version in modern English ISBN 978 0 948662 05 8 |
| Cast | 16m 3f, + another 10 minor speaking parts and numerous attendants, soldiers. Doubling possible. |
| Suggested Age Range | 11-16 or 16-18 |
| Approx. Running Time | 80 minutes |
| Music | Music for Ophelia's songs. |
| Set | The castle wall, various rooms in Elsinore castle, a churchyard, open country. |
| Synopsis | Claudius has murdered his brother, Hamlet, King of Denmark, so that he can become king and marry his brother's wife, Queen Gertude. The old king's ghost appears to young Prince Hamlet and tells him to take revenge. Hamlet promises to do this, but is not sure whether to believe the ghost: could it be an evil spirit? The arrival of some actors at Elsinore gives Hamlet an opportunity to test Claudius's guilt by means of a play. At the performance Claudius betrays himself, but Hamlet continues to put off taking action. Hamlet's disgust at his mother's behaviour, his love for Ophelia, his contempt for Polonius and his own attempt to hide his suspicions under a cloak of madness, all add to the complex subtlety of the play. |
Henry V |
Shakespeare's Henry V: a shortened and simplified version in modern English ISBN 978 0 948662 01 0 |
| Cast |
40 speaking parts, many of them very small, with much doubling possible + soldiers, attendants etc. 20 main parts. |
| Suggested Age Range | 11-16 or 16-18 |
| Approx. Running Time | 70 minutes |
| Music | Very small amount of singing (Pistol & Boy). |
| Set | The English and French kings' palaces, the English and French camps in France, battle scenes in France, a London street. |
| Synopsis | Henry is persuaded that his claim to the French throne is just and the church promises money to fight the French. After being mocked by the French Dauphin about his misspent youth, Henry decides to invade. Three traitors are put to death and the army sails across the channel - including a trio of unsavoury characters: Bardolph, Nym and Pistol. The English win Harfleur, but then, sick and weary, face the French at Agincourt. Henry refuses to surrender and his army prepares to fight - he goes round the troops in the night, discussing the rights and wrongs of the campaign and encouraging them. The English archers ensure that the battle is won and Henry returns to England in triumph. Later, Henry returns to France to win the hand of Katherine, the French King's daughter. |
| Macbeth | Shakespeare's Macbeth: a shortened and simplified version in modern English ISBN 978 0 948662 04 1 |
| Cast | 30 speaking parts, 20 fairly major 15m 5f + soldiers, attendants etc. Much doubling possible. |
| Suggested Age Range | 11 upwards |
| Approx. Running Time | 60 minutes |
| Music | Music possible for Witches dance. |
| Set | Scotland, plus one scene in England. Heath, battlefield, Macbeth's castle - inside & out, Witches hut. |
| Synopsis | The play opens with the three Witches warnings of evil to
come. Macbeth is honoured by King Duncan for his bravery in battle. Soon
after, Macbeth and Banquo meet the Witches who promise Macbeth more
honours - even kingship - at the same time as their prophesy that
Banquo's descendants will be kings. Spurred on by his ruthless and
ambitious wife, Macbeth murders Duncan and becomes king. Duncan's sons
lead the people against Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, guilt ridden, loses her
mind and dies. Macbeth is defeated in battle and killed by Macduff. Too
late, he realises he was misled by the Witches and corrupted by
ambition. This play offers some great speaking parts, as well as fertile ground for the imagination of the producer. |
| Romeo & Juliet | Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet: a shortened and simplified version in modern English ISBN 978 0 948662 02 7 |
| Cast | 26 parts, 20 speaking 16m, 4f plus some very minor speaking parts + citizens, guests, servants. |
| Suggested Age Range | 11 upwards |
| Approx. Running Time | 70 minutes |
| Music | For dancing in one scene. |
| Set | A street in Verona, rooms in various houses, a balcony, gardens, a churchyard. |
| Synopsis | The background to this great love story is the feud between two warring families in Verona, the Montagues and the Capulets. This feud is only ended by the tragic deaths of the two lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. There are fights, duels, dancing, the famous balcony love scene and plenty of humour. |
| Twelfth Night | Shakespeare's Twelfth Night: a shortened and simplified version in modern English ISBN 978 0 948662 00 3 |
| Cast | 10 main 7m, 3f, 5 minor + attendants, sailors, musicians and 2 policemen. |
| Suggested Age Range | 11 upwards |
| Approx. Running Time | 70 minutes |
| Music | 3 songs, a round and 3 snatches of songs. |
| Set | A palace, the seashore, a kitchen, a room in a house, a garden, a street. |
| Synopsis | Duke Orsino believes that he is in love with Lady Olivia,
but she will have nothing to do with him. When the shipwrecked Viola,
disguised as a man, becomes the Duke's servant, she falls in love with
him. The Duke uses Viola to carry messages of love to Olivia, who
promptly falls in love with the messenger! When Viola's lost twin brother
Sebastian turns up, Olivia mistakes him for Viola. Meanwhile Sir Toby Belch, Olivia's drunken uncle, encourages the witless Sir Andrew to think he might marry Olivia. Olivia's maid Maria and Feste the jester make fun of Olivia's steward, the self-important Malvolio. After a scene of confusion involving the twins, the play ends with two marriages: Orsino to Viola and Olivia to Sebastian and Sir Toby promises to marry Maria. |
| Julius Caesar | Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: a shortened and simplified version in modern English ISBN 978 0 948662 06 5 |
| Cast | 34 speaking parts, 32m 2f (though could be done with a mixed cast) + soldiers, citizens, a cobbler, a carpenter, a poet, Caesar's ghost. |
| Suggested Age Range | 11 upwards |
| Approx. Running Time | 80 minutes |
| Music | No |
| Set | Rome - street scenes, interior scenes, the forum, battle scenes. |
| Synopsis | The classic speeches by Brutus and Antony form only part of the appeal of this play. The character of Cassius is tellingly set against that of Brutus, we see enough of Caesar to understand the opposition to his dictatorship, and Antony winds up the crowd in masterly fashion. Portia and Calphurnia are the only female characters, but there's no reason why the play shouldn't be done by a mixed cast. When the assassination of Caesar leads inevitably to war, Brutus and Cassius clash over its conduct, but we are left wondering whether there can ever be moral outcome to such an act. The failure of the conspirators to plan what to do after the assassination has clear contemporary relevance. |
"They bring to the plays a lightness of touch that serves their purpose very well. Their version of Henry V is particularly successful ...! EFL GAZETTE
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Price Codes: |
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| Script: A Midsummer Night's Dream | Code C | |
| Performance Rights:A Midsummer Night's Dream | Code Y | |
| Script: Hamlet | Code C | |
| Performance Rights: Hamlet | Code Y | |
| Script: Henry V | Code C | |
| Performance Rights: Henry V | Code Y | |
| Script: Macbeth | Code C | |
| Performance Rights: Macbeth | Code Y | |
| Script: Romeo & Juliet | Code C | |
| Performance Rights: Romeo & Juliet | Code Y | |
| Script: Twelfth Night | Code C | |
| Performance: Rights: Twelfth Night | Code Y | |
| Script: Julius Caesar | Code C | |
| Performance Rights: Julius Caesar | Code Y | |
| Licence to Copy: | Code Y | |
"Though shortened and simplified, everything is there except the poetry - which is not lost, but waiting for a later, and now more aware, discovery." THE GUARDIAN
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