What's Happening in Anderson, SC…

The Magnetic South Brewery in Anderson is hosting The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) this June.

The 90-minute comedic play takes three actors on a stage and runs them through every single one of Shakespeare’s 37 plays, in an extremely reduced fashion.

Embodying the spirit of Shakespeare’s idiom that “brevity is the soul of wit,” the sheer absurdity of the show’s premise puts the actors through their paces at breakneck speeds, often needing to improvise to get to the finish line, for comedic effect.

This has included a one-minute adaptation of Hamlet, Othello accompanied by hip-hop lyricism and a take of Titus Andronicus that resembles a cooking show. A rollercoaster of costume changes, audience interactions, and riffing is also part of the festivities.

Originating in London, the show ran for nine years with an accompanying broadcast and PBS. It has since gained a reputation for being an international hit. The original creators, the Reduced Shakespeare Company, have also gone on to create other plays in the same vein, including The Complete History of America (Abridged).

Comedic plays like this may choose to use brochure printing to create program schedules and audience pamphlets.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) is happening from June 11 to 15, from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm each day at the Magnetic South Brewery at 516 N Main St in Anderson.