Does anyone think it's sacrilege to re-write Shakespeare?

Given that most of Shakespeare's plays were re-writes of earlier plays, I don't think Shakespeare would have minded.

Richard, I could never get my round Shakey either, purchased the complete works a few years ago and gave him another go. I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, reading him is not the same as seeing the work performed where it comes alive and is easy to appreciate, no matter what modern twist the production company puts on it. However, one of my favourites was indeed a rewrite. It was on at Edinburgh Festival a number of years ago. The name: Bill Shakespeare's Italian Job. Very funny. I know they wanted to get a run in London's West End but couldn't get the funding. Since seeing that I've often wondered what other combinations might work. How about Wullie Shakespeare's Trainspotting, or Irvine Welsh's MacBeth, or Quentin Tarantino's Merchant of Venice?

I think it's important to learn from writers of the past and let it influence your own work. After all, the more you read and the more you write, arguably the better you get at both. I don't think it's right to 're-write' Shakespeare, so to speak, but I think it's valuable to enjoy his work and learn what we can from his stories and his style. Though I never did like his work, could never make head or tails of whatever the hell he was on about, haha. -Jason Purdy (MM)

It's not sacrilege but I don't think that Shakespeare needs to be updated; I think Shakespeare needs to be understood. The first time I heard the language of Shakespeare and the King James bible I knew that a writer was a person who worked magic; that a writer was something I really wanted to be and to me plays like Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet, The Tempest, Romeo & Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Nights Dream and Anthony and Cleopatra are timeless classics; their poetry as beautiful today as when it was first spoken. It's bit like updating the Sistine Chapel Ceiling or Beethovens Ode to Joy. It's not sacrilege but I don't see the point in bothering. Also, updating Shakespeare has been done so many times before. Why not be original and pick another author to update? Why not rewrite a bad piece of writing? Turn one of the works of McGonagall or Jeffrey Archer into a masterpiece? No one ever thinks to update (and improve on) bad writing; they're always messing with the much loved classics. JoHn - "Ex amore victoria". ("From love comes victory".)

I remember when Robbie Williams sampled the opening of "You Only Live Twice" for the song Millennium. I thought, "Like sticking a nugget of gold ontop of a pile of manure. It only makes more apparent that everything but the golden nugget is a heap of sh*t". JoHn - "Ex amore victoria". ("From love comes victory".)

Shakespeare was big during my high school days, and his phraseology is delicious. Re the question on this post---I believe in the adage I once read many years ago---"there is nothing new under the sun, only words and images to be re-created."

As my Gran always used to say "There is nothing new under the Sun!

Under the Sun? Author in stolen story shocker

So many phrases in common usage are derived from Shakespeare's writings - high time, lie low, I haven't slept a wink, love is blind, wears his heart on his sleeve, fancy free, to be or not to be... hundreds , more than any other individual. Contemporise to your heart's content (probably one of his too)- I'm sure the original will long outlast the facsimile.

'...Why not rewrite a bad piece of writing? Turn one of the works of McGonagall or Jeffrey Archer into a masterpiece?...' I once wrote a bit o' doggerel dedicated to McGonagall. It went thusly: MCGONAGALL The worst poet in the world ‘tis said, His rhymes are deemed atrocious. But just been sold for lots of bread So who’s having the last laugh now, eh? (even tho’ he’s dead) http://www.ukauthors.com

No, of course not. While the original text might have some sacrality to it, which by the way we should ask what does that mean, I think that the rewriting of a tragedy or comedy must be seen, first and foremost, as a kind of hommage. I am acquainted with some rewritings of Romeo & Juliet and I am sure they have seduced newer audiences and readers. Is it not the West side story a newer version of R&J? Excelsior!

I grew up on a diet of Shakespeare - my father was a classical theatrical producer - and I find myself agreeing with Well-wisher - it is the beauty of the words and their arrangement that makes him the giant that he remains in English literature. I was involved in a production of an Afrikaans version of King Lear many years ago in Cape Town which turned out to be more of a farce than a tragedy. It made me realize then that the content of Shakespeare's plays was not where the magic lay. He fed my creative imagination with the extraordinary power of the English language. We can rework his ideas and his plots -many of which he too took from elsewhere - but we can never hope to recreate his genius.

Bit of a bind if you're an atheist. http://www.ukauthors.com

Au contraire, makes life a lot less complicated imo, Blighters. Only my opinion, natch :) http://www.ukauthors.com

Shakespeare took other peoples work and con temporised it so he can't complain if it's done to him. in fact he can't complain anyway - he's dead. Rewrite away to your heart's content, that's what I say.

It depends what you mean by a re-write. West Side Story takes the tale of Romeo and Juliet and puts it in a new context (with songs and almost completely new words) - is it a re-write? I think you can take any of Shakespeare's stories and re-write them in any way you like but I'm not sure that you can take his language and improve it. I have heard 'modernised' versions but they are just horrible.

Did anyone see David Tennant in Hamlet? Love DT, brilliant actor, but sorry to say I switched it off after about 15 mins despite the fact that it's 'highly acclaimed'. Hated the modern spin (but then I'm a traditionalist :)) http://www.ukauthors.com

I saw a weird Ukranian version of Midsummer nights dream once in cardiff castle, which consisted of people wandering around in white sheets. I had absolutely no idea what was going on, despite having seen the play twice before. There's re-writing shakespeare and then there's wandering around in sheets gibbering Ukranian nonsense for two hours.

I don't speak a word of Ukranian but this doesn't stop me singing along to ukranian folk music. Peter Solawka, Len Liggins, I am truly sorry.

I've just seen that the Globe programme for 2012 includes all 37 Shakespeare plays performed by 37 overseas companies in 37 different languages. Book your tickets now (I am genuinely excited)

Romeo and Juliet was a re-working of a story already in existence several times over. Of course, back then, copyright didn't come into it! One of my favourite lessons involves getting my students to rewrite the Balcony Scene in modern teen-speak! I agree with whoever said it depends what your purpose is... J x

Stan, your 'THE WEIGHT-WATCHER’S SOLILOQUY' is deserving of a bunch of cherries.