Shakespearean?


I suggested in another thread that, following "Dickensian", the Beeb may give thought to adapting/mashing up Jane Austen's work in a similar way (and following P.D James's "sequel" to "Pride & Prejudice", "Death Comes To Pemberley") in a series called "Austentatious".

However, couldn't "Shakespearean" be a good idea? Something of the sort has been done with "Shakespearean Whodunnits", in which writers adapt the plays into murder-mystery short stories. It's been a while since I read some of the stories, but I seem to recall them being quite fun - Banquo revealed as the master-mind behind "Macbeth", having commissioned the witches to plant the idea of regicide into Macbeth's mind, that kind of thing.

So - how about it? Like "Dickensian", it could cheerfully be set in London - Hamlet having fled to England after evading Claudius's plot to have him killed, Prospero perhaps being held in custody in the Tower after having been exiled from Milan - perhaps he'd meet the Princes there? Falstaff - perhaps, like Fagin in "Dickensian", a younger Falstaff than usual - could attempt to woo, and engage in a battle of wits with, Rosalind? And if there's not at least one scene set in the Mermaid Tavern, I shall demand my licence fee back.

www.jumpedtheshark.co.uk

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Good ideas!

I seem to recall someone did something similar with Austen, but maybe I'm just thinking of the board game, Marrying Mr. Darcy...

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