“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised]" at the Spotlight Theatre -- March 19 through 28.
Friday, March 19, through Sunday, March 28
The Spotlight Theatre, 1800 Seventh Avenue, Moline IL
Deemed “wildly funny” by the Los Angeles Times and “a madcap condensation that features nonstop laughs” by Variety magazine, the recently updated slapstick The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] marks the long-awaited return to scheduled stage performances for Moline's Spotlight Theatre, with the comedy – running March 19 through 28- described by the Montreal Gazette as “the funniest show you are likely to see in your entire lifetime.”
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Reduced Shakespeare Company's classic farce The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), two of its original writer/performers, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, thoroughly [revised] the show to bring it up to date for 21st-century audiences, incorporating some of the funniest material from the numerous amateur and professional productions that have been performed throughout the world. The show's original incarnation was born when three inspired, charismatic comics, having honed their pass-the-hat act at Renaissance fairs, premiered their preposterous masterwork at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1987. It quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, earning the title of London's longest-running comedy after a decade at the Criterion Theatre. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) is one of the world's most frequently produced plays and has been translated into several dozen languages, delighting audiences by presenting takes on all 37 of Shakespeare's plays by three actors in roughly 97 minutes. Fast paced, witty, and physical, it's full of laughter for Shakespeare lovers and haters alike, with The Miami Herald calling the slapstick “Shakespeare as it was back in the Bard's day: bawdy, irreverent, and sublimely entertaining.
Directing The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] is Spotlight Theatre co-founder and -owner Brent Tubbs, who previously helmed Big: The Musical and A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder for the venue, and who has been a frequent performer and designer for the company. Tubbs also co-stars in the Spotlight Theatre's latest production in the show's three-person cast that includes Jeremy Mahr and Amelia Fischer, both of them fellow Spotlight Theatre veterans. In addition to his frequent stage work with the Prenzie Players, the Mississippi Bend Players, and the QC Theatre Workshop, Mahr appeared alongside Tubbs in the Spotlight Theatre debut production All the Great Books (abridged), and Fischer's credits for the Moline venue include roles in The Wedding Singer, Miracle on 34th Street, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, and The Happy Elf.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] will be presented March 19 through 28 with performances at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Admission will be limited to 50 people per performance, with masks required and social distancing followed, and tickets are $20. For more information and to reserve, call (309)912-7647 or visit TheSpotlightTheatreQC.com.
