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To Cut or Not to Cut
The incomprehensible, archaic and repetitive were the main things to go. Only two complete scenes were cut from the series although a few were combined a bit (the forest scenes of Arden spring to mind.) Antonio was cut from Much Ado About Nothing, but then that play was shortened the most in the series. No other characters were willfully cut. Keith insisted I eviscerate Act V of Julius Caesar, bless his heart. Obvious cuts would include some of Mad Tom's ravings in King Lear and a fair number of obscure witticisms uttered from his various fools.

In performance, a lot of obscure words and references often produce a gesticulating acting style that attempts to clarify archaic language through visual demonstration. While there is definitely room for bawdy and clowning scenes in Shakespeare, whole productions of pantomime  and prop-abuse quickly become predictable. I say, give them the best of the Bard and act it well. I wager if Shakespeare were alive today, he would agree with me. He was an actor first; actors like to do what works!