Shakespeare sketch - A Small Rewrite

Live Shakespeare sketch called 'A Small Rewrite' made for Comic Relief, with Hugh Laurie as Shakespeare and Rowan Atkinson as the editor.

[@canadasprincesss]

rowan atkinson and hugh laurie should do more scenes together they complement each other very well, they are both extremely talented actors

[@wolverine2099]

The Blackadder series are way better than Mr. Bean. In my humble opinion Blackadder is the best series Rowan Atkinson ever did.

[@Keeper1st]

The Rose Theatre structure was torn down more than 380 years before this sketch was performed. The reason the line was funny is because it was topical. The surviving foundations of the Rose had just been unearthed in a building project, sparking a debate as to whether the builders should be allowed to continue demolishing it to build their office complex. For the record, this sketch was performed in the Sadler's Wells Theatre.

[@ianhzabner]

if Shakespeare were alive today he'd have laugh at this sketch too Oh darn it! I can't help myself. "OMG: it's Bertie Wooster and Blackadder II"

[@mrswilberforce]

"all I'm saying, Shakey..." :D :D :D

[@megssillyedits]

"whoops! (hamlet falls off the battlements)"

[@Alcagaur1]

Like Pratchett's "Hedgehog Song", the "Avocado Monologue" just begs to be written. The tap-dancing Othello (and, for some reason, my mind's eye instantly supplies Mr. Lenworth Henry) would also be an inevitable joy. As ever the rapport between Hugh and Rowan as actors is evident, the fluency emergent from long familiarity. A tiny treasure too long overlooked; thank you so much for posting.

[@DixyRae]

That was amazing. "you can put the cockney grave diggers back in." "both of them?"

[@xTunafishx]

'that is the question. Do da do da do da la la la la' Imagine how many English teachers have explained Shakespeare like that :P

[@xmasnicely]

"and we'll see which one history remembers" hahahahah

[@LiLKel4]

haha "shaky" "tempermental git" loved it! comedic geniuses both of them!

[@bradondo]

Love the fact that Rowan's costume is so close to his BlackAdder II duds.

[@batchen12]

Hugh and Rowen are so funny and together they are absolute genius. Thanks so much for uploading the video :)

[@lestephenois1]

3:10 "To be or not to be that is the question..... Tre trea tre trea, tre trea trea"... Absolutely brilliant.

[@gokartmozart]

Soooo classic. I love watching this skit often. Laugh just as hard each time! Just great.

[@lizardtown]

Brilliant! We need comedy like this again

[@chrisofduke]

bloody brilliant that is.. gotta love Hugh Laurie.

[@maxipower93]

the two best comedians ever in one scatch that's amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@JudeMaris]

Tap dancing sketch in "Othello" ?!? Whahahaha!! XD Comedy GOLD!

[@ch7pper]

So many great in jokes! Love! The best part is how the editor sounds like every editor ever!

[@Snowytinn]

FANTASTIC! BRILLIANT! One of the many times Rowan is at his best! x

[@IMSwimmer19]

Two of my favourite British actors: Atkinson and Laurie. Absolutely brilliant.

[@question87]

that is the most incredible sketch by the best two actors ever! i wish they would do more stuff together!

[@heLLoBABY667]

shake shake shake shake shakespeare! this sketch is GENIUS!!! xxx

[@Fledermausmann]

this is wicked sick man... my two fav actors in a brilliant sketch!

[@enderwigginfan]

This is incredible! I'm in heaven! Hugh Laurie AS shakespeare in a funny sketch. You totally made my day!

[@MsStarsea]

Rowan's definitely channelling "Mr B" here and having Blackadder as your editor would drive you mad! Of course, this is all drawn from their real life experience. "You said that about the avocado monologue in "King Lear"! And the tap dance at the end of "Othello"!" *dies*

[@Komicklepto]

@kapakal He says "Yeah well I've always said the Rose Theatre is a dump. Frankly, I mean the sooner they knock it down and build something decent the better".

[@FranMSK]

Brilliant. I love them both.

[@polagra]

to be or not to be that is the question...tyrytty tyry... I just love it!

[@tpfang56]

I love how Hugh plays Shakespeare here! Hilarious! Love Rowan and Hugh, so funny!

[@rocknrollfishy]

clap clap clap, that was so good! Rowan Atkinson is so cool!

[@heliotropezzz333]

Anyone who enoys Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Laurie together would probably enjoy Blackadder third series. I recommend the episode "Ink and Incapability" where Robbie Coltrane (of Hagrid fame) plays Dr Johnson.

[@yankeeangel26]

Brilliant. Gotta love British comedy!

[@boiledpotato]

Hah, you can hear some of the crowd at the beginning shouting, 'bollocks!' Good old Stephen XD

[@amkaen]

Thank God for editors! Can you IMAGINE going to the library for William Shakespeare, the Exhaustive plays? We'd never have graduated High School!

[@xGRIZZLYDANx]

now that would be the most entertaining episode lol

[@moralityisnotsubjective5]

I love Hugh Laurie. He was great in Blackadder and many of the things he did back in England, We are privileged to have him in the US now though sometimes I miss his more light hearted humor

[@ledemonnoir]

Absolutely brilliant!

[@Whoever7458]

Brilliant, just brilliant. I wish they'd work together again.

[@JankeyL]

Much funnier when you know the play

[@peacnluv]

Little did Ol' Shakey realize...hehe Brilliant skit :D

[@nigulat]

This is a great sketch, I loved it! This actual conversation may have taken place too, who knows... ;-) And those two delve into the soliloquy more deeply than some scholars and some university professors I know (and whose names I do not wish to remember haha)

[@itsaroyalfizzbin]

Rowan Atkinson. Hugh Laurie. Hamlet. THIS IS EPIC.

[@can0mark]

Two of the worlds greatest comedic geniuses.

[@missieq76]

My father was a huge fan of Blackadder, and he had to buy dvd's to even watch it. I loved Blackadder, and when I saw Hugh on house, I thought, "Who knew the Prince Regent was so cynical?"

[@PsychoSnowMan]

Oh god, that was hilarious. It would have been awesome to be there and see them perform.

[@acathia]

brilliant, just brilliant.

[@VinceRocksMySocks]

wow i've never seen this before, its brilliant! thanks for posting!

[@Laurie76K]

You should see him in a bit of Fry and Laurie. Those two together are brilliant!!!

[@Oskarft]

Absolutely brilliant sketch!

[@jullaurie]

I like the idea of how Hamlet was written! Funny, funny, funny!

[@nuckles007]

freaking brilliant

[@cabiria89]

"Bill Bill Bill!" Great Laurie and Atkinson! :)

[@Ibhenriksen]

English teachers are not amused. But for the student, MAN this is brilliant!

[@NotaFro]

funny and very well acted - who could ask for more?

[@amiserable]

both these actors are incredible - would that they did more together. fantastic!11

[@BeachinBritify]

Calling Hamlet's soliloquy a yawnfest = priceless! It's a Blackadder reunion! LOVE IT!

[@RiMeAnne]

Love the wig. Great sketch!

[@funkygirl59]

british comedy is amazing. i lovee rowan and hugh

[@8jimmyjazz]

OMG OMG OMG it is....erm Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Laurie :P Cheers for posting this, much appreciated!

[@Yejinmom]

I just loved that accent Rowan displayed in Blackadder series.

[@dixieken]

Yep, Hugh Laurie. Check out the Blackadder series to see more of these two working together. Brilliant!!!

[@waylander1314]

Two episodes of series 2 as a drinking companion in Beer and more memorably as Ludwig the Invincible in the final episode. However in season 3 and 4 he was in every episode as Prince George and Lieutenant George.

[@lmordro]

It's awesome that these two are together, [Rowen Atkinson and Hugh Laurie].

[@Aakanaar]

This is not bad. I had a hard time really believing that was Hugh Laurie's voice at first, but this is a side of him I have not seen before. Although I have seen Rowan Atkinson in many roles other than the "bean" one that I never call him Bean. But as for this paticular sketch, it had me laughing. It was very well played by both participants. Definately 2 thumbs up from me.

[@Skiddins]

It's the theatre they were in! This look like a Comic Relief thing

[@Dries000]

Couldn't agree more. There's so much more to these lads than Mr Bean and House, as is shown in great shows like Blackadder.

[@CanadianSliwka]

that was a great sketch. =)

[@MissKilman]

That would be REALLY cool :)

[@creamyfilling102]

this dude is awesome!

[@erusha_t]

hugh laurie is utterly amazing. he can do accents so well, i'd never tell he was british just from watching house! and rowan atkinson, well, we all know he's already awesome.

[@sernity230]

that was great. Totally a smart person sketch.

[@misssdie]

=)) omg love it! "but its short william its short" lol amuzing :]

[@drgn78]

What "shakey" really did that amazed ppl was combine genres. R&J was the first time anyone thought to combine love and tragedy in drama. The crowds would have been stunned. Also Hamlet was the first true 'character' in Elizabethan theatre, whereas the characters in Faustus, Tamberlaine, Titus and even R&J were personifications of themes.

[@Erkynar]

Bloody marvelous! Thank you so much for posting! :) And: Oh, dear! It's Johnny English and Berty Wooster! Sorry, sorry. Couldn't stop myself. :)

[@mealypeggy]

love!

[@BarbaraS96]

omg einach nur lol!!!! wie hugh aussieht*abfeier* und rowan...einfach nur geil!!!!

[@HaKeeMraz]

Rowan Atkinson And Hugh Laurie Is Fantastic!

[@LookMaNoBrains]

OMFDOG what an amazing shakespeare satire!!!

[@alphidee78]

BRILLIANT!!!

[@EireGoon]

Brilliant!!

[@Kittyrins]

Oh god BA... My childhood was spent watching Jeeves & Wooster/Fry & Laurie/Black Adder.

[@StKildaFan]

Ok, thanks I haven't seen blackadder in a while I should watch them again. I like when Blackadder said that baldrick was filthier than a dung beetle that had lost intrest in its carrer and really let itself go.

[@philosophersara]

Brilliant!! I love it.

[@SupernaturalSushi]

Genius!

[@chay20077]

I love that line, im goin to try and use it in conversations

[@HarmlessVampire13]

I had no idea that Hugh Laurie was a comedian. I mean, I knew he was a british actor, but man! AND he worked with Rowan Atkinson, too! Good golly miss molly!

[@SMADdie86]

Two of the best comdeians england ever produced. Love the part about there are no toilets on this side of the Thames. I hope they will work again together in the neir future. Prefered with Stephen Fry

[@Keeper1st]

I transcribed this sketch about 16 years ago or so. It's still up on the net somewhere, I'm sure... I still have the text file too, and can pass it along.

[@frecklesandwine]

OMG ITS MR BEAN AND HOUSE! hahahaha im only kidding, i read the description. anyways, funny stuff :) "hamlet falls off the battlements" hahaha

[@DelorienAz]

"we've got to think about bums on seats, Bill" hee hee hee

[@firegoat]

@LilithMaura actually, 'To be' soliloquey was supposed to be much longer here. the editor then proceeded to trim it to the 'to be' that we know today... so he did get it right

[@millaenimo]

OMG! . . . . . . is a cool sketch

[@JenniLeigh81]

I think someone said that Stephen Fry did an intro for this sketch - anyone have that or know where to find it? Love these two gents - have always preferred Atkinson's Blackadder to Bean, and as for the inimitable Mr. Laurie....thank you, Brits, for letting us borrow this jewel for a while :)

[@johndogz92]

In the top 5 greatest english comedians Hugh Laurie, Rowan Atkinson and Steven Fry are all there, and I believe some of the greatest comedians ever. Brings back Black Adder days :)

[@Dash84]

I'm currently studying Hamlet in English... so this seems SO funny to me! Seriously, this is genius.

[@kaspervzzzbx]

It would be interesting to see Rowan Atkinson as a guest star in a future episode of House.

[@ThePythonfan]

Yeah in Greece happens the same thing! He is brilliant!

[@chrissinewman]

With these costumes they remind me on BLACK ADDER Season III when they played together the Prince of Wales and his butler.