Incomplete Shakespeare: Hamlet

John Crace, creator of the Guardian’s ‘Digested Read’ column, parodies Hamlet in a brilliantly funny reduced form, with Professor John Sutherland providing notes.

Alas poor Yorick, he looks not at all well.
I knew him, Horatio;
a fellow of infinite jest, though sadly finite breath.
Though thy gibes be still, yet still thou grins. I seldom saw thy teeth look quite so clean

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, this is the fourth of a new collection of the Bard’s greatest plays, digested to a few thousand words with invaluable side notes from John Sutherland. Funny and incredibly clever, these parodies are a joy for those who know their Shakespeare, perfect for the theatre goer needing a quick recap, and a massive relief for those just desperate to pass their English exam.