The comparativist

You’re Bard is an interactive theatrical experience where a cast of four actors –and a fifth that acts as an intermediary between the cast and the audience– do abridged versions of Shakespeare with a little help (or a little hindrance) of the audience’s suggestions. Yesterday, for example, we were treated to Romeo & Juliet , but the first act was set in the world of Silence of the Lambs – but just for the first act.  Then, through the suggestion of someone from the crowd, one of the actors had to pretend to be Sir Ian Mckellen. Suddenly, another crowd-member intervened, and poor Sir Ian lost his legs. I can't remember if by now the setting was Silence of the Lamb still, or if by this point we were in Hogwarts, the Hundred Acre Woods, or the set of Master Chef , but I do remember that we were all having a good laugh. The improvisation part takes over the plotted Shakespeare very early, and, honestly, the plot gets a bit convoluted when Harry, who was Hannibal, becomes Winnie–