To be or not to be, that is the question...

William Shakespeare has like no one else through history so precisely put the struggles of humanity into words.

In this theatre concert, dialogue and soliloquies from some of Shakespeare's most loved plays are intertwined with iconic pop hits from the 1980's giving each other new perspectives.
Stripped of synthesizers and electronic drums, instead accompanied by a lute (lasciviously pleasing), the songs display themes that we are familiar with from Shakespeare - love, jealousy and the ever haunting question from Hamlet.

Music has a unique way of evoking moods and feelings. To use music in theatre is an old trick, and one that Shakespeare himself was especially keen on. Not only instrumental music to enhance the power of a scene - Ross W. Duffin has showed how The King's Men exploited songs from the street in many ways to make the audience engage and connect emotionally.

The popular tunes of the 80's might still be considered shallow. But rubbing shoulders with Shakespeare's immortal texts, they stand out in a new luster and often with an unexpected twist.

Texts from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Othello, The Winter's Tale, Macbeth and other plays
Music by Alphaville, Roxette, Whitney Houston, Prince and other iconic artists

Performance duration: 65 min

Created by Niklas Atterhall & Malin Sternbrink

On stage and touring: Malin Sternbrink & Niklas Atterhall

Photo: Nicklas Lind

Absolute Shakespeare premiered  in Stockholm in March 2023 and has played at the City Theatre in Stockholm and at the Craiova International Shakespeare Festival in Romania and the Verona Shakespeare Fringe Festival in Italy.