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Okay, so

newredshoes asked me for my top five fake Shakespearean titles!

I . . . still don't actually really know what that means. SORRY ESTHER! I think probably this was meant to be Improv Shakespeare titles, but the unfortunate thing is that I can't actually remember five of the titles from the shows. So I am going to interpret this as: top five Shakespeare fanworks!

1. The Improvised Shakespeare Company

But of course nonetheless I have to put Improv Shakes on the list, which

newredshoes raved about so often that I had to investigate. Basically the Improv Shakespeare crew is a bunch of dudes who use their on-the-spot improv skills to create a "brand new Shakespeare play" at every performance, using the themes and language of the bard. The language bit is sometimes questionable (though they are very adept with their thees and thous, and with an on-the-spot prologue) but they interpret the 'themes' liberally as meaning that a play is not worth the time if it does not include at least a dozen dramatic schemes, stabbings, star-crossed love affairs and secret identities. AND IT'S GLORIOUS. Mostly they are based in Chicago, but every so often they come to NYC, where I am able to gleefully stalk them.

Sample Improv Shakes on-the-fly dialogue: "I mean to murder," whispers Character A menacingly, "Father."

Character B -- playing Character A's father -- pauses, then asks cautiously: "Is there a comma in that sentence?"

2. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Tom Stoppard

I feel a bit odd using an image from the movie when I have actually never seen the movie, but so it goes. Anyway, I would be surprised if most of you do not know about this most excellent play, which is pretty much the defining example of awesome professional fanfiction. Basically, I like to imagine, one day Tom Stoppard woke up one morning and reread Hamlet. Then he had a laugh to himself about how Claudius and Gertrude always get those two dudes' names wrong, wait, what were those dudes' names again? Then he read a couple of academic articles about the Hamlet/Horatio subtext, and a couple of academic articles about the Hamlet/Gertrude subtext, and a couple of academic articles about Ophelia's madness and how it's probably all to do with Hamlet/Ophelia/Laertes subtext, and was like, "man, everyone in this fandom is so obsessed with shipping. Why doesn't anyone ever write about those two dudes - wait, what were their names again?" And then he had a cup of coffee and decided to write the defining metatextual work of theater of our age, and that is why we have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.

3. King Hereafter, Dorothy Dunnett

Similarly, I like to imagine, Dorothy Dunnett woke up one morning and said to herself: "I would like to write another book about a brilliant poet-paragon-athlete-farseeing-and-charismatic-leader-of-men, except I'd kind of like him to be less angsty than, oh, every other protagonist I've written. And with a more healthy love life. Where can I find a historical character who fits the bill here?" And then she read Macbeth, and was like "oh, perfect!"

I have to say I don't really understand this logic, but the point is that Dorothy Dunnett's Macbeth takeoff condenses the standard several-thousand-page Dunnett densely well-researched emotionally-roller-coaster-y multi-book epic into just one book! Travel-sized for your convenience! And Thorfinn/Macbeth actually is a whole lot emotionally healthier than any other Dunnett protagonist, and Thorfinn/Gruoch is likewise an amazingly functional marriage, and one of these days I really should reread.

(While on the topic of Macbeth fic, The Third Witch is also a Macbeth takeoff novel I really enjoyed. Also,

newredshoes' amazing Gruoch-centric work-in-progress!)

4. Antony and Cleopatra: The Opera

There were many things competing for this slot - Slings and Arrows! Shakespeare in Love! - but then I remembered the time I went to go see this with

chlorrel, and, I am sorry, THIS WINS. The original production was so over-the-top on costumes and set, the stage actually broke. From the moment we opened on the chorus of gladiators thumping their shields and warbling, "ANTONY DRINKS! ANTONY FISHES!" ad infinitum, I knew it was going to be a glorious performance. AND SO IT WAS.

5. That Crossover Disney She's The Man Vid On Youtube

Look, okay, I enjoyed She's The Man and Ten Things I Hate About You enormously, and I am thoroughly unashamed of it, but they are not making my top five list.

Mostly because they have been replaced by this vid. I DON'T KNOW WHY. I am so perplexed by so many of the decisions here! I haven't even seen Road to El Dorado OR Quest for Camelot! And yet somehow, when you mash them up with Mulan and set it all to the dialogue from a wacky Amanda Bynes movie, the result is sheer joy. I could watch it all day.

AND NOW YOU KNOW.

Your turn, guys! There are five million pieces of awesome Shakespeare fanfiction out there, published and unpublished. TELL ME THE BEST.

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....that trailer is AMAZING. *_*

Isn't it??? Mulan's face. MULAN'S DAD'S FACE.

I don't remember, personally, which is okay, because this turned out EXACTLY HOW I WANTED. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

--whoa, hi, story! Once the WBB is finished, I WILL COME BACK TO YOU. *meep of glee! mgleep?*

WELL THEN MY WORK HERE IS DONE. \o/

I felt it deserved the shout-out! Because even in NaNo draft form, it is fabulous. :D

My favorite fake Shakespeare is Cimrman's Hamlet Without Hamlet (adapted for theatre companies that do not have enough actors), even if it's only a small joke.

Queen: "Ill tidings my lord, Hamlet has hid himself again."
King: "A pity, I wanted to tell him: But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son, how is it that the clouds still hang on you? And I even hear his reply: Not so, my lord; I am too much i'the sun."
Queen: "Yes, yes. That's how he always avoids the subject. But I wouldn't let him, I'd tell him: Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not for ever with thy vailed lids, seek for thy noble father in the dust: Thou know'st 'tis common, all that live must die, passing through nature to eternity."

It might just be a small joke, but it is nonetheless a hilarious one! *giggling*

My other favorite I haven't actually seen but just had recced to me is Hamlet, Shut Up, which is apparently Hamlet played as a silent comedy.

I'm sorry, I cannot tell you any because all other ideas have been driven out of my head by the amazingness of that fanvid. *_*

This is entirely fair, seeing as it's approximately the best thing ever.

One of my utter favorites is something I saw at the Pa Renn Faire, it was meant to be I think Hamlet or MacBeth and there were the more snooty actors and the Irish.

First there was a normal quick version and then it got really bloody, they all died in chorus at the end and I squeaked with glee. I wish I could remember the name of the troupe since they were awesome and I dragged friends to see them all that summer.

I have fond memories of the shows at the PA Ren Faire! Of course last time I was there was many years ago, but nonetheless.

Me too, I think I last went before I went to New Zealand which is far too long ago.

The PA Renn Faire just worked so well, it was just the right size and all the performances were such fun. All through high school and a good chunk of college, I tried to go once every summer.

I wish I had gone through with my plan to try and work there one summer.

I used to drag my parents there every summer, and I'm fairly sure they were completely sick of it by the time I was a midsized teenager. OH WELL.

Curses for being in the wrong parts of the country.

Someday we should organize a group to go back again, crazy costumes, improv performances, music, and horrible things to eat.

Haha, yes. The horrible things to eat are so the best part!

Ahahaha well I have seen NONE of the things that trailer is crossing over (not even Mulan! I know this is a lack!) and it was still totally delightful. And if She's The Man is fit to be mentioned in the same breath as Ten Things I Hate About You then I must obviously watch it asap!

Also, I love your explanation of how Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead got written. Headcanon from now on!

I had never heard of that Dorothy Dunnett - it looks pretty awesome.

I just finished The Sea and the Mirror, which is basically Auden reads the Tempest and TELLS YOU WHAT TO THINK ABOUT IT, but is fairly amazing nonetheless. Also, The Magicians of Caprona is totally my favourite riff on R&J.

Otherwise, have you come across Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Laurie's Shakespeare sketch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwbB6B0cQs4&feature=related)? Not amazing, but fun!

Not having seen Mulan is a TERRIBLE lack (best Disney movie! of all time! OF ALL TIME) but I guess I can't go on about it given my own shame about the other two.

She's the Man is really just kind of adorable. Though to be fair, I saw it ages ago when I was researching for my thesis and don't actually remember it that well, and then

shati watched it recently and babbled at me about all the dorky crossdressing hijinks and rekindled a kind of vicarious love for it in my heart and now I need to see it again ASAP! (The trailer helps.)

Ooh, I've heard of The Sea and the Mirror, and should really put it on my list; I have some mixed feelings about Auden but can never deny that his stuff is ridiculously gorgeous. And Magicians of Caprona! THAT is what I was forgetting! I was so busy thinking about Enchanted Glass when I was considering DWJ-Shakespeare riffs that I completely forgot Magicians, and now I am shamed.

- HAH. I have not, but now I'll be watching it as soon as I get home!

Oh man. I must obviously watch Mulan asap!

Enchanted Glass does indeed give good Midsummer Night's Dream ... and it seems to me that there must be many other awesome take-offs of this play in particular, but I can't think of any except the fantastic (and vaguely factual?) section about a staggeringly kitsch Hollywood version of MND in Angela Carter's Nights at the Circus.

Hahahaha yes! I do know exactly that Hollywood version.

Man, I know I've read other takeoffs, but now I'm blanking too! I know that Kage Baker has a novella called "Rude Mechanicals" that is a takeoff on (I believe) that exact production of Midsummer, but I've not yet been able to get my hands on it. And I remember reading a rather heartbreaking published story not all that long ago about Oberon and Titania and a changeling in a hospital.

Ooh, that novella sounds exciting. Also, hah! Neil Gaiman does Midsummer in Sandman. Also, Purcell, The Fairy Queen. And, uh... hmm.

Random fic rec (I should probably start deliciousing fic, or something...): Waste Our Lights in Vain (http://www.yuletidetreasure.org/archive/7/wasteour.html). R&J, saaaad.

There's bits in Pamela Dean's Tam Lin, but there's bits of everything in Tam Lin so that's fairly unspecific . . .

Ooh, fic rec! *dives upon* Thank you!

Another book to add to the list, but that is not really important, because BECCA HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE SEEN ROAD TO EL DORADO.

I KNOW. I KNOW. It is a source of constant shame in my heart. ;________; And now I am worried that if I ever see it, I will be shipping Blonde Dude/Mulan through the whole thing, and enormously disappointed that she never shows up!

Holy shit, Miguel/Mulan would be AMAZING.

But don't worry, RtED has magic powers of OT3, you will come out of it with hearts in your eyes.

Okay! MY EYES ARE PREPARING TO BE HEARTED. (I don't even know if that works as a sentence. OH WELL.)

Is it just me or is there more nudity in this soccer game than usual. :|

I gotta lifetime of knowledge. ^_^

I was just rewatching Dil Bole Hadippa last night! (Which you should totally watch sometime.) &Cross-dressing sports movies;

I SHOULD. Which cross-dressing sports movies should I watch? ALL OF THEM.

re: 3:

Um... ... what??

I don't claim to understand the way La Dunnett's mind works!

Sample Improv Shakes on-the-fly dialogue: "I mean to murder," whispers Character A menacingly, "Father."

Character B -- playing Character A's father -- pauses, then asks cautiously: "Is there a comma in that sentence?"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

AND THAT TRAILER. I haven't even seen She's the Man, but it's perfect!

(How have you not seen Road to El Dorado?? You must!)

I still can't get over Mulan's dad's face! IT IS THE BEST THING.

(I know I know! IT IS A SIGN OF MY FAILURE IN ALL WAYS.)

THAT VIDEO MY GOD.

STILL THE BEST THING EVER. EVER.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW OR WHY IT IS SO AMAZING, IT'S UTTERLY PERPLEXING.

Also, on the strength of it I downloaded and watched Road to El Dorado, and my God. It's pretty obscenely slashtastic. And also a fun film!

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