‘Shakespeare Condensed’ Arrives

Life is short. The complete works of Shakespeare are long. To the rescue: a three-man comedy troupe known for fast, funny, physical condensations of real serious stuff. Get ready for Shakespeare Condensed.

Laguna Niguel resident and senior at , Alex Sloan, along with Brandon Truman and Brian Albert, wrap up the Bard's outsized oeuvre in 90 roller-coaster, rib-tickling minutes.

Sloan plays the female roles. He jokes in a falsetto, “Now I know what it’s like to be a girl; no one ever listens to me.” “Wearing a dress wasn’t that bad either, but I was disappointed to find the bust actually fit me pretty well.”

After warming up with a nothing-is-sacred send-up of Romeo and Juliet, they’re off, dispensing with the comedies in one fell swoop (because the tragedies are funnier).

You decide after you see Othello as a rap song, Titus Andronicus as a cooking program, and the show's unforgettable finale—Hamlet—told with the help of audience members and lascivious sock puppets. Enjoy a fun-filled evening that will enhance your knowledge of William Shakespeare’s work.

The show plays three days only March 30 to  April 1 at 7 p.m. at Dana Hills High School’s Porthole Theater. Tickets can be purchased at socsarts.org.