Brookhaven Courier

Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: Entertainment

Photo courtesy of Reduced Shakespeare Company | (from left) Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor and Matt Rippy present "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" in the Performance Hall Jan. 23.

The Reduced Shakespeare Company brought laughs and learning together at Brookhaven College Jan. 23 in the Performance Hall with "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)."

The three-man troupe consisted of Reed Martin, Matt Rippy and Austin Tichenor. According to the RSC Web site, the group was founded in 1981 and has since created six stage shows, four TV programs and radio pieces. The RSC has toured the world with their abridged plays, including "The Complete History of America (abridged)," and "The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged)." According to their Web site, the RSC has also performed at the White House, Lincoln Center and London's West End.

The three-man group began the evening with a brief introduction of William Shakespeare's life. They asked the audience to raise their hands if they had read certain plays, initiating audience participation. This beginning set the mood for the night with the absence of the fourth wall, a term used in theater for the imaginary wall between actors and the audience that prevents their interaction.

Once the introduction was finished, the trio launched into a 16-minute version of Romeo and Juliet that evoked laughter and loud applause throughout the auditorium. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, all of which the RSC performed successfully in 90 minutes. They even managed to do Hamlet backwards, pulling two audience members onstage to act as Ophelia and her conscience.

"Their use of subtle humor plus slapstick comedy, combined with a true knowledge of the material, helped provide a deeper understanding of the works of Shakespeare," Joshua Randall, theater sophomore, said.

Among the audience were students, faculty and many people from the surrounding Dallas area.

Rick Maxwell, interim arts dean, said: "I think it was wonderful to see so many people from the community here. I was really thrilled to be here. I'd seen them before on BBC … it was really an incredible evening."

For more information about RSC, students can visit their Web site at www.ReducedShakespeare.com, or for future performances on campus, www.BrookhavenCollege.edu/BCSA.

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