By Hannah Kremer, Managing Editor 

Last weekend Xavier’s Theatre program performed their own rendition of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] [Revised],” in which cast members attempted to perform all 37 of Shakespeare’s works in under 97 minutes. 

The play, upon its first performance in 1987, was the longest-running comedy in London by playwrights Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield. It parodies all of the plays Shakespeare has written, whether merged together or shortened, to make up a both comedic and chaotic show. 

“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged] [Revised]” is a unique performance in which the fourth wall does not exist, and the three-actor crew must interact with the audience throughout. The actors are also improvising during the show, deviating from the script to make niche references to Xavier and making references to modern-day events. 

With every production the troupe puts on the audience gets a new, different and exciting experience. For Xavier’s cast, improvisation was an easy task. 

“The improvisation was super fun to come up with and explore throughout the show. Josi and Loften were absolute geniuses when it came to audience interaction,” junior theatre and education major Hannah Barbee, who played herself in the show, said.

The cast was required to rely on each other during the show, especially during extensive Shakespearean recitations they had to memorize beforehand. Had they lost flow between lines of Shakespeare and common-day speech, the flow of the show would have been disrupted. 

“I found it difficult because each of us had more than 200 lines, and the fact that it switched from common day to Shakespeare text made it more challenging to keep up with the tempo of the play,” sophomore theatre major Loften Cooper, an actor in the show, said. “We built up trust in one another so that if we messed up as an individual, the others would adapt to make it fit in the play as if it were a planned bit.”

This play has specifically set itself apart from previous productions of Xavier’s Theatre Program, including titles such as “John Proctor is the Villain,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “The Sound of Music” and “Pippin.” 

In a rare moment for the actors, they were encouraged to play themselves, but as Shakespearean fanatics, hoping to do his plays justice in a brief period of time. At the same time, crew members were required to aid in quick costume changes and rapid prop switches. 

“I just loved getting to play so many characters that I usually wouldn’t get the chance to, and explore their physicality. I did a triple pirouette allegedly during the fight call, which is a first for me, so that was pretty epic,” junior musical theatre and digital innovation, film and television (DIFT) double major Josi Pietrzyk said. “I think I am most proud of the preparation I put into my work and how that manifested on stage.” 

The chemistry among the cast members was apparent as they worked together on multiple physical comedy acts. They concluded the show by attempting to perform Shakespeare’s most complex play, Hamlet, in one minute and 30 seconds and backwards, which had the crowd erupting in cheers. Whether or not they had successfully completed acting out all of Shakespeare’s plays was up for the audience to decide. 

“Beyond the singular moments, I’m incredibly proud of the way the show came together at the end. I’ll mourn all the moments I could have pushed myself a little harder. I’ll remember looking around during the last show, however, and feeling immensely proud of what we had created,” Barbee said. “I’ll forever miss the process and the people, and I know they will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Xavier Theatre’s next production is their third performance of “Slut Shaming,” written by Cincinnati native and playwright Trey Tatum. Students can purchase discounted tickets for showings running from Feb. 19-26.