The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

In 15 minutes

The performance is done with 2 actors (in this case M. and R.)-B=both
The set is simple just a blind to hide the costumes and props and for several
other moments such as the balcony scene or the play within a play scene

Act 1
M. and R. enter

M- Hello we are the Reduced Shakespearean Company

R- And we are here to present to you…
B- The complete works of William Shakespeare Abridged in 15
minutes
R- Well, not really we are only doing 3 plays
M- Anyway, let’s begin with the most tragic love story there is…
R- The Fifty Shades of…
M- No, no, no (breathes in) Ladies and Gentleman there never was
a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo!
The song Rapunzel by Daniela Mercury starts playing
M. and R. enter with swords. They represent Capulets and Montagues
servants
They speak at the same time about how good the day is
At the same Time:
M- Oh god I hate those Capulets, hate their dog, their flowers.
R- Why God why. I hate those Montagues, hate them all!
R. Hits M. with her shoulder and start fighting with their swords.
M. hides behind the blind and puts on a crown to play the prince, R. keeps
fighting pretending M. is still behind the Curtain.
M. Enters as the Prince
M- Stop! Right now! There is a new law no fights on the streets.
Next time I see you two Capulets and Montagues fighting … (makes
a cutting head off movement)
They both leave. M. is now Romeo and R. is Benvolio. They enter.
R- Oh Romeo, why so sad, there is a ball tonight we should go have
some fun, meet new people.
M- Really but who’s Ball?
R- (Hesitating) Lady Capulet’s…
M- Are you MAD!!!
R- Come on…
M- Ok!
They leave. La vie in Rose starts playing. R. is now Juliet. M. is wearing a
mask. They are walking backwards and they bump into each other
M- Did my heart love ‘til now. Forswear it sight. For I never saw
true beauty ‘til this night. (takes Juliet’s hand)
R- You do wrong your hands too much, which mannerly devotion
shows in this: For saints have hands that pilgrim’s hands do touch.
And a palm to palm is holly palmers kiss.
M- O then dear saint, let lips do what hands do!
M. avoids kissing R. by stepping on her foot
R- (Struggling) You kiss by the book. Oh coming mother!
M- Is she a Capulet, so I fear. The more is my unrest!
R. Climbs on J. she pretends he is on a balcony
R- O Romeo, Romeo. Deny your father and refuse your name. And
I will no longer be a Capulet. What’s in a name anyway? That
which he call a nose by another name would still smell.
M- Alright then, I shall never be Romeo Montague.
R- Pronounce it faithfully.
M- Lady by the yonder moon…
R- O swear not by the moon. Do not swear at all! I believe you
M. exits and puts on a wig and a skirt
M- Lady Juliet, bad news
R- What dear Mary?
M- You are going to marry count Paris!
R- Oh no what should I do?
M. whispers in R. hears
M- Do as I say and tell no one but write a letter to poor Romeo, so
he knows what’s is going to happen.
R- Right away, thank you!
M- Goodbye my darling, and May the force be with you!
M. exits and puts on a friar costume
R- Mary sent me to you, can you help me?
M- Take this!
R- Hum, ok.
M. exits. Juliet drinks and collapses on the floor. M. is now Romeo.
M- Oh no, my love, my wife!
Grabs the poison
M- There’s to my love!
Drinks
M- Oh, your drugs are quick and with a kiss I die
M. dies before kissing. R. wakes up immediately after M. collapses
R- Good morning, Ahhh! What’s this? Poison closed in my true
love’s hand. Drank all and left no friendly drop to help me.
Grabs dagger
R- Oh, happy dagger
Kills herself
The end of Act 1
Act 2
B- The tragedy of Julius Caesar!
R. is Caesar
R- Hail Citizens!
M- Beware the Ides of March…
R- What the hell are the Ides of March?!
M- The 15th of March.
R- Why, That’s today!
M. stabs R. repeatedly
The end of Act 2
Act 3
R- And now Ladies and Gentleman, maybe the greatest play ever
written in the English language: The Tragedy of The Prince of
Denmark or … Hamlet!
R. exits and puts on the skirt with a crown on her head to play a ghost of the
king. M. is a guard
M- Who’s there?!
R. WhoooOooooo IM KING HAMLET WhoooOoooo
R. exits
M- Oh my lord somebody must warn the prince!!
M. exits and R. is now Hamlet
M- Your Royal Highness (takes a bow), you’ll not believe but I saw
the ghost of your late father.
R- Say no more, I’ll go check it out!
They exit M. is now the ghost
M- WhoooooOoo IM KING HAMLET WhooooOooo
R- Father what happened to you?
M- Your uncle Claudius do not trust him he murdered me and he
will murder you too if you don’t stop him whooooOooo!
M. exits
R- I’ll do as he said but first I must get evidence!
M- OH, Hamlet! (only voice of Ophelia)
R- Why, that annoying girl sometimes I wish I was crazy so she
wouldn’t follow me… Crazy… Crazy let’s try that!
M. meanwhile went to the audience to pick a volunteer, the volunteer is now
Ophelia
R-(acts crazy) Oh Ophelia you really annoy me you should
(screaming) Stop following me and just let me be alone for god sake.
And I don’t care about what your father Polonius will say. You
should go to a nunnery!!
V. starts crying hysterically, R. try’s to calm V. down but it won’t work he
ends up leaving the room.
R-(breaking character) I can’t do it …
M-(from behind the blind) Of course you can this is the moment every
performer wishes to play, just go for it!
R-Ok! I’m going to step into Character (takes a real step and grabs
a raven skull) To … To be or … To be or… To be or not to (breakdown)
M- Oh god, it seems like we are going end our journey here and
we hope you enjoyed and… If you liked what we did you should go
read the books, bye bye.
THE END
Written by: Martim Rodrigues and Rita Gomes
Based on The complete works of William Shakespeare Abridged

Special Thanks to Miss Lili for letting us use her voice for the announcement