The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Immediately after PBS radio host Ira Glass saw "King Lear" in Central Park, he blogged that "John Lithgow as Lear tonight: amazing.

Shakespeare: not good. No stakes, not relatable. I think I'm realizing: Shakespeare sucks."

Love the Bard or not, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" (Abridged) was created with you in mind.

Imagine an Andy Hardy movie scenario where a big idea strikes Mickey Rooney about how to raise the money to solve the teens's cash flow problem and, standing in front of a huge barn, he shouts to Judy Garland, "Let's put on a show!!"

Back in 1987, three actors, Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield, former members of the Reduced Shakespeare, wrote a show for themselves to take to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe mocking the Shakespearean plays.....all of them. That's 17 comedies, 10 histories, and 10 tragedies.

Still, the lampoon was condensed into less than two hours, including the shortest ever performance of "Hamlet," clocking in at 43 seconds, as well as the fastest performance of "Hamlet" backwards at 42 seconds Whew!!! Companies from London to Broadway have been staging the send up ever since.

Director Lauren Elias's version of the smart alecky spoof continues at Club Caf� through this coming Saturday, August 2. The bargain rate tickets for all shows are "pay what you can." The South End bar and dining room at 208 Columbus Ave has a drinks bar in the theater which is in a separate room at the back of club and wait people will bring food to your table from the club menu.

When it comes to playing Shakespeare, the producing director of Hub Theatre Company of Boston knows of what she's directing. She played a beguiling Juliet for Happy Medium Theater directed by Paula Plum not so long ago and way before that put on plays from when, as a little child, she entertained her parents and playmates with make shift, original productions. The Hub staging evidences a high regard for the material, a respect for the actors, and the love of a good joke. It enjoys a kind of home grown feel, and merriment even as it races against time to bring down the curtain before the disco crowd arrives for later night dancing at the club.

The outstanding Hub cast leaps to the occasion with the alacrity of boys diving into a municipal pool on a sweltering hot day. And, truth be told, the script borders on the juvenile with gross out comedy aplenty.

Even so the locker room humor is well balanced by witty repartee and general silliness of the Fractured Fairy Tale variety. King John morphs into a football game with the royal one poisoned on the 10 yard line. "Titus Andronicus" looks a lot like Julia Child making one of her elaborate dishes. Othello is a rap act that the actors in shades consider is in bad taste even as they rattle on.

If there is a lead, it's Brooks Reeves who seems most steeped in the plots and verse of Shakespeare as he deftly skewers the vaunted language and story-lines, although William J. Moore and Patrick Curran more than hold their own.

There's much of importance to make this piece theatrical from the backstage artists, who have devised fun props from illuminated swords to rubber daggers for the plentiful spillage of blood Shakespeare writes into his plots (Marc Ewart) to a handsome screen the actors can make quick changes behind (mural design George Courage). Costumes and wigs add to the hilarity (Lee Viliesis). Lightning fast scene changes rely on the apt lighting design from Michael Clark Wonson. Clever sound design from Andrew Paul Jackson which was well run by Geoffrey Hoyt on the sound board.

As rapidly as the trio of actors declaim their many roles, the show passes even faster for the delighted audience it seems, with the longest pause before the laugh meter soars again by far being the ten minute intermission.

"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" (Abridged) continues for a final weekend Friday, Aug. 1 and Sat. Aug. 2 at Club Caf�, 208 Columbus Ave. Back Bay Boston. Tickets are pay as you can. For more info go to www.hubtheatreboston.org.