THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) Comes to Richmond Shakespeare
Performances will run March 14 - 30, 2025.
By: Stephi Wild Mar. 04, 2025
Richmond Shakespeare will bring high-energy hilarity to the stage with The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), opening Friday March 14, 2025 and running Thursday - Saturday evenings at 7:30p and Sunday afternoons at 2p through March 30, 2025 at Dominion Energy Center's Gottwald Playhouse, 600 E Grace St, Richmond, VA 23219. A special pay-what-you-will preview performance will take place on Thursday March 13, 2025 in association with CultureWorks.
A wildly fast-paced and irreverent take on the Bard's entire canon, this madcap comedy by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield condenses all 37 of Shakespeare's plays into just 97 minutes—performed by only three actors. Expect outrageous physical comedy, improvisation, pop culture references, and plenty of audience interaction as these fearless performers attempt to tackle everything from Hamlet to Romeo and Juliet (sometimes all at once).
"I'm excited to bring this widely popular production back to the stage. The playwrights have recently updated the script to better suit the times, and it is just as hilarious as ever! The team that we've assembled is also just excellent. Audiences can expect to have a blast," says Artistic Director James Ricks.
"Imagine the most memorable characters in Shakespeare's canon, all played by just three actors in a whirlwind of costumes, accents, and quick changes. It's a high-energy, interactive, and utterly ridiculous love letter to the greatest playwright of all time. This production is unfiltered, unpredictable, and unbelievably fun—whether you're a longtime Shakespeare fan or experiencing his works for the first time, you'll be in for an unforgettable night of comedy," adds Managing Director Jase Smith Sullivan.
The cultural touchstone that is The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) 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. Complete Works is one of the world's most frequently produced plays and has been translated into several dozen languages. Fast paced, witty, and physical, it's full of laughter for Shakespeare lovers and haters alike.
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