The Complete History of Comedy (abridged)
Marin Community Foundation, The Bernard Osher Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
“A surefire holiday pick-me-up!” – Mill Valley Patch
“Clever, smart and funny comedy for grown-ups” – Sonoma County Gazette
“The RSC are exhaustingly uproarious; truly adept comedians.” - Talkin’ Broadway
The Reduced Shakespeare Company has skewered history, the Bible and the world’s most celebrated playwright. Now, they seek to answer one of life’s greatest mysteries: What makes people laugh? The “bad boys of abridgement” leave no joke untold as they deconstruct the entire history of comedy in 90 rollicking minutes. Read the playbill >
Written, directed and performed by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, with Dominic Conti
Recommended for youth aged 13 and up.
LENGTH OF SHOW – One hour and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
While the Reduced Shakespeare Company has certainly grown from their pass-the-hat act at Novato’s Renaissance Pleasure Faire, the now internationally renowned touring comedy troupe remains a Marin favorite. Known for taking long, serious subjects (like the complete works of Shakespeare) and reducing them to short, sharp comedies, their newest (abridged) work takes on a challenge entirely new: the history of what’s funny to begin with.
IN THE NEWS
Splashed on the cover of Pacific Sun
Featured in this month’s American Theatre magazine
RSC’s send up of the Supreme Court made the Wall Street Journal
“Comedy” co-writer Reed Martin interviewed by San Francisco Chronicle and KRCB-FM (starts at 42 min)
“Comedy” co-writer Austin Tichenor interviewed by KWMR-FM (starts at 29 min)
Austin Tichenor
Writer, Director, Performer, Reduced Shakespeare Company Managing Partner
Skipper Skeoch
Costume Design
Joe Winkler
Sound Design
Sean McStravick*
stage manager
Dominic Conti
Performer
Reed Martin
Writer, Director, Performer, Reduced Shakespeare Company Managing Partner
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"A surefire holiday pick-me-up! There isn’t a dull moment... a lively ninety minutes... a fully engaging evening of theater."
"Comedy for grown-ups! Clever, smart and funny, slyly deceptive and irreverent... If you don’t watch out, you just might learn something in between the belly laughs."
"Three very funny guys. Extremely clever, frequently laugh-out-loud funny, and delivered with perfect timing: An antidote for saccharine seasonal shows, just the thing to get you through the holidays."
"Fast and energetic... A lot is covered in this short time and it is impossible to catch all the zingers. The Reduced Shakespeare Company are exhaustingly uproarious. The trio are truly adept comedians with physical bits and wordplay, plus great improv."
"The funniest! A knockabout farce in which pretty much anything that might be funny, and often is, goes... A slam-bang evening."
"I left the Marin Theatre Company with a smile, from remembered jokes and bits in 'The Complete History of Comedy (abridged),' the latest show from the three-member Reduced Shakespeare Company – a fine respite from the cold and rain and the depressing news of the day."