Reduced Shakespeare Co. to End Nine-Year Run at London's Criterion Theatre
The Reduced Shakespeare Company currently presents three shows at the Criterion: The Bible: The Complete Word of God Abridged, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged and The History of America Abridged.
The Bible: The Complete Word of God Abridged is a roller-coaster ride from fig leaves to Final Judgment as the boys tackle the great theological questions: Did Adam and Eve have navels? Did Moses really look like Charlton Heston? And why isn't the word "phonetic" spelled the way it sounds?
For The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged, the Reduced Shakespeare Company have edited the full Shakespeare canon into two hours. All 16 comedies are distilled into just one short extract and the history plays are performed as a ball game.
The Complete History of America Abridged offers a mutilation of 500 years from Columbus to Clinton. It is the mother of all history lessons, reminding us that it's not the length of your history--it's what you've done with it.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged and The Complete History of America Abridged opened at the Criterion Theatre in 1996 and have been playing in repertory ever since. The Bible: The Complete Word of God Abridged was added in 2003. Earlier this month, it was announced that The Bible: The Complete Word of God Abridged would close on March 31, but the other two would return after May 28. However, that plan has now been changed and none of the shows are scheduled to return to the Criterion.
Amajuba: Like Doves We Rise, a piece made up of personal stories from South Africa, will begin performances at the Criterion on April 5.