A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Written after Shakespeare had a strange dream, this story is a comedy of love, mistakes, and fix-ups.

Hernia is in love with Lysander, but her dad wants her to marry Demetrius. Hernia’s best friend Helena loves Demetrius, and Hernia doesn’t want to hurt her. Demetrius however loves Hernia not Helena – all of them are in a right pickle. Then there is King Oberon who loves Titania, but most of her love goes to a small changeling, making Oberon jealous. Oberon decides to sort this out with the help of a terrible trickster called Puck.

Puck loves making trouble and soon makes the worst kind, as the young people from above, with a magical spell placed upon the wrong people, fall in love with the wrong person. The more Oberon and Puck try to fix it, the worse the problem gets. Just as a dream leads the dreamer astray, this story leads the reader into one solution after another. Until nothing is the same as it began – but all are content.

The Tempest

Prospero is telling this story. He loves books more than anything else in the world – falling into the wonder of story and the science of non-fiction. He also enjoys books on magic. His brother Antonio is the opposite, shunning books and preferring to be out doing stuff. When their father, the Duke of Milan dies, Prospero becomes the Duke, but still prefers his books, and neglects his people. He gets married and has a daughter. Antonio takes over more and more and finally needing his big brother to be out of the picture forever, plans to be rid of him.

Dastardly plans are afoot, but Prospero has a good friend named Gonzalo who makes sure whatever happens, Prospero and his young daughter will survive.

Years pass, living on an island, and using the magic he has learnt from his beloved books, Prospero causes a terrible storm (Tempest) to make sure a passing ship ends on the island. The results are more than wonderful.

Taming of the Shrew

Once upon a time there were two sisters. Bianca and Katherina were both very beautiful. Bianca was calm, quiet and obedient, just as her rich father and society wanted her to be. Katherina was argumentative, obstinate and sharp-tongued. Known as ‘the shrew’ by all who knew her, she didn’t even care. When any suitors came to the house, they came to see her younger sister. But Katherina didn’t care about that either.

Wanting to be rid of his troublesome daughter, their father declared that Bianca couldn’t marry until her elder sister had wed, with a handsome dowry as a bonus. That’s still not very likely, thought everyone.

But there was one man who thought he knew how to better Katherina and her terrible ways. He swept her away after their wedding and started to put his plan into action. Has Katherina finally met her match?

King Lear

King Lear is a well respected monarch with three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. He is feeling his years, but before he hands his kingdom into his daughter’s hands, he needs them to prove their love for him.

The two eldest tell him what he wants to hear, with nothing but their future wealth in their minds. Cordelia however, replies truthfully with no flowery wording but much love.  The King compares her straightforward words with her sister’s flowery lies and rages against her – leaving her nothing. Her sisters inherit it all. The only thing they must do is look after their ageing father and King between their homes. Too easy they think, and lie some more.

But their lies soon rise to the surface and King Lear begins to realise the terrible mistake he has made. A tale of love, loyalty, greed and madness. Much heartbreak too….

Romeo & Juliet

We all know this one…

Many, many years ago, two families were at war. This had been the case for so long, they’d forgotten why, but still they raged between them. The Capulets and the Montague’s hated anyone and everyone connected to the other, so there was never any chance of them healing this rift.

The Capulets decide to throw one of their lavish parties and Romeo (the son of Lord Montague) wants to go because a girl he likes is going. It will be dangerous to be there, even in a masquerade mask, but he thought she was worth it. His cousin hoped Romeo would meet someone else there and stop thinking about her.

But when Romeo did lay his gaze on another, it was Juliet (the daughter of Lord Capulet). So much more dangerous, but Romeo’s infatuation with his enemy’s daughter was almost instant.

Juliet felt the same about Romeo in a very short time, and the only one who would help them was a mutual friend. Wanting to run away together, they make plans for their escape. But fate has other ideas and soon two much-loved family members are dead and Juliet is to be married to another….

Hamlet

Hamlet is a popular guy at University and at home. But when his father the King dies suddenly one day, Hamlet is bereft. His mum the Queen marries his Uncle Claudius soon after and Hamlet is suspicious. This grief and suspicion begin to change Hamlet and his friends and family fear he is losing it. The thought that his Uncle and his own mother plotted and killed the King never leaves Hamlet’s thoughts. Even his beautiful girlfriend Ophelia is being neglected.

One night on the outside ramparts of the castle, Hamlet sees his father’s ghost. Finally he has the answers he needs. He must act against this treachery, but decides to talk to his mum first. Everything goes wrong and another dies. More grief is heaped upon this court and Ophelia can’t stand it any more.

Even more murderous plots are in the making with Hamlet at the centre. Will the betrayals ever end? Many more fall before the sad tale of Hamlet is over.

The Winter’s Tale

Once there were a King and Queen so in love, they needed no other. King Leontes of Sicily and his wife Queen Hermione also had a young son named Mamillius – their pride and joy. But ruling a kingdom was a big job and they never got away to see friends. Leontes missed one friend in particular – Polixenes from their childhood.

Finally after many invites over many years, Polixenes came to visit. It was a joyous occasion, but just before he was to return to his own kingdom, King Leontes began to doubt his Queen’s love for him. Was she falling for Polixenes? Hermione’s pleading to her beloved that he was imagining things fell on deaf ears. King Leontes best friend Camillo couldn’t convince him either. King Leotes became more and more jealous – pushing all he loved away, believing he had been betrayed.

Will his jealousy cost him everything? His wife. His son, His future and his kingdom? Never underestimate your friends, reader…

Macbeth

Macbeth and Banquo are great mates and brave soldiers in the front line for King Duncan. These generals are the hope for all of Scotland and its future.

Driving back outside forces from Norway in the east and Rebels from the North, they win a great victory. Returning home they come upon three witches in the mist.

They welcome Macbeth as Lord Glamis, and then Lord Cawdor. Macbeth is shocked. He is neither of these things. Even more shocking is the name – King of Scotland. Banquo too is given predictions for his family’s future. They finally reach home, shaking their heads at what they saw.

But to their surprise Macbeth is welcomed with the names the witches spoke. Later, Banquo tries to convince Macbeth to forget what they saw when he sees him consumed by the memory.

But Macbeth cannot forget, and aspires to be King. But instead of waiting for it to happen naturally , he forces it, committing a terrible crime.

His followers and friends soon realise Macbeth is a changed man. He is ruthless, sending his soldiers to kill anyone who stands or speaks against him. But there is a price to pay for his murderous rampages. The witches predicted more for him, but will they be right in that too?

Henry V

Henry V of England was a young warrior King. He had become King after his father died suddenly, and he hadn’t been expecting it. Before he was crowned he loved to party and hang out with his friends with wine and girls.

But becoming King made him realise he must give up these pastimes to rule his Kingdom. Being young, he was easily manipulated, and the Archbishop of Canterbury was first in line to take advantage.

Although the church was wealthy in money and land, it always wanted more. They convinced the new young King that he owned a part of France. France denied this completely, and what resulted was war. Men from Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England stood to fight, and spies went to work on both sides. The war was bloody, but Henry’s army won.

But now they were tired, hungry and cold after their battle, and soon facing a new French army and outnumbered 5 to 1. They were offered freedom if they paid for the damage they’d done, but Henry V refused. Again England went into battle on French soil. Numbers didn’t matter in this battle, as Henry had done his homework and knew how he would beat the French again.

Twelfth Night

Sebastian & Viola are identical twins. They loved each other more than life, but were torn apart one night aboard a sailing ship in a storm.

Viola survives and is lost without her brother, but she soon finds a job she would like. She loves it, but has a secret which becomes quite a problem.

Meanwhile, her boss is deeply in love with a woman who spurns him. No matter what, she will have nothing to do with him. It’s only when Viola is sent to see her on his behalf that things begin to change – for everyone.

A conundrum of identity and love, confusion and marriage. Can Viola speak her secret now?

Michael Morpurgo is a much loved author around the world, and he is also a lover of Shakespeare. He was introduced to Shakespeare around 6 years of age by his actor and poet parents and grandparents, with a book retelling Shakespeare’s plays into stories. It made such an impression on his life, that he wished to do the same for the children of today, retelling the stories in a modern version using the language of today.

The result is ten stories of love, courage, action, laughter, royalty, bravery & even magic and ghosts.

Tales from Shakespeare is a wonderful way to introduce these (often seen as too difficult for many) plays, and present the essence of each story along with a full colour double spread illustration and quote from the play themselves.

I truly enjoyed these modern versions.

Retelling Author – Michael Morpurgo

Original Author – William Shakespeare

Illustrators – Alona Millgram, Barroux, Joelle Avelino, Michael Foreman, Peter Bailey, Tom Clohosy Cole, Sam Usher, Dapo Adeola, Christian Birmingham, & Ian Beck

Age – 9+

(2023, Harper Collins UK, The Bard, Retellings, Adaptations, Adapted for Younger Readers, Short stories, Plays, Playwright, Kings, Queens, Princesses, Princes, Family, Crime, Murder, Humour, Animals, Falling in Love, Tragedy, Betrayal, Love, Royals, Royalty, Greed, Grief, Historical, Twins, Secrets, Guilt, Ghosts)