Hey all! Sorry for not having a brand new comic today. I'm in Washington D.C., gallivanting around and getting ready for my TOTALLY FREE TALK AT THE FOLGER LIBRARY THIS FRIDAY AT 6:00PM. So I am taking this opportunity to recycle a comic I drew for the Notre Dame, which ironically reduces the Reduced Shakespeare Company's latest play into three panels:
My life has basically been unfolding in parallel with the Reduced Shakespeare Company. They made their name (no, literally, they made their name) with their first stage show, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), which does what it says on the tin. As far as I can figure out, I saw them perform this show when I was an impressionable 7 or 8 years old.
Now, I'd like to say that their work deeply informed who I was as a person, but the truth of the matter is I can't really remember anything about it. However, years later, having developed my own less-than-reverent relationship with Shakespeare, I picked up a DVD of their Shakespeare show, instantly responded to their incredibly stupid brand of humor and general irreverent and immature attitude towards Shakespeare, and have watched it numerous times since.
So when it transpired that the Folger was inviting me to give this talk before a performance of the Reduced Shakespeare Company's latest play... well, let's just say I was excited. I had seen a workshop production of William Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play (abridged) last summer at the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, who very kindly commissioned the 3-panel play you see above, and enjoyed it thoroughly. The prospect of seeing its final form AT THE FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY, was just too cool for words.
So I saw it. And I loved it. Again. You should see it too.
And then this happened:
Oh, yes, and I AM SPEAKING AT THE FOLGER TOMORROW (FRIDAY) AT 6PM. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.