Incomplete Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet

John Crace, creator of the Guardian’s ‘Digested Read’ column, parodies the world’s favourite story of doomed love in a brilliantly funny reduced form, with Professor John Sutherland providing footnotes

Cease I say, cantankerous old fools / Thy deeds hath made our streets a no go zone / No more shall Montagues and Capulets / Enact their West Side Story Sharks and Jets / Or else shall pay the forfeit of the peace.To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, this is the second of a new collection of the Bard’s greatest plays, digested to a few thousand words with invaluable footnotes 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.