The Good, the Bard and the Ugly, Susie Donkin
The Good, the Bard and the Ugly, Susie Donkin
List: $31.99 | Sale: $22.40
Club: $15.99

The Good, the Bard and the Ugly
A funny, modern take on Shakespeare's best-known plays from the Bafta-winning Horrible Histories writer

Author: Susie Donkin

Narrator: Susie Donkin

Unabridged: 5 hr 3 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/17/2023

Categories: Fiction, Drama, Humorous, Mashups


Synopsis

A hilarious, irreverent take on Shakespeare's best-known plays from BAFTA-winning Horrible Histories writer Susie Donkin.

Imogen thinks she knows what Shakespeare's most famous plays are all about. Everyone does, right?

Star-crossed lovers. Naughty Greeks getting up to mischief in the woods. Scottish kings losing their minds. Young men with daddy issues. Dads who just need some positive affirmation from their daughters*. (*Okay, that's maybe putting it a bit mildly)

But when Imogen brings 14 amateur actors together to perform one of the Bard's great works in a bid to save their local community centre, it becomes apparent that she - or anyone who reads this book for that matter - will never see Shakespeare's greatest works in the same light again . . .

"BAFTA-winning Horrible Histories writer Susie Donkin makes Shakespeare's greatest works even greater." Stan Lafski, Imogen's uncle

"A very funny book. Would definitely not have been as funny if it was about Christopher Marlowe." Larry Fairfoul, troupe member

(P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

About Susie Donkin

Susie Donkin has been a writer for the hugely popular Horrible Histories (CBBC) since it first aired in 2009. Now in its 9th series it was won a variety of awards including Best Writing Team and Best Comedy Show at the Children's BAFTAs. Other writing credits include the award-winning Smack The Pony (Channel 4), and Bearded Ladies (Radio 4, BBC2). As Artistic Director of Spitz & Co she has created three successful rural touring comedy shows all of which have toured extensively throughout the UK.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jo

Imogen wants to save the building her recently deceased grandmother used to put on theatre performances. So she pulls the community together to do Shakespeare. Cue much hilarity as various troupe members tell the story of different plays to convince the others this is the one they should do. It's a......more

Goodreads review by Pudsey

Stan Lafski arrived in Cornwall from Poland in the early 1980s, captivated by the charms of a local girl and single mother named Brenda. His love for her was so profound that he never departed. The couple embarked on a remarkable venture, establishing a humble rural touring company that breathed new......more

The Good, The Bard & The Ugly is a humorous, lighthearted and thoroughly engaging story in which Imogen Petticoat-Lane receives a handwritten letter from her Polish grandfather at her home in Forest Green, London. It informs her of her grandmother Brenda's passing and details the arrangements to fol......more

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more! Cry god for Tintown, Brenda, and the Bard!’ They all roared back as one: ‘For Tintown, Brenda, and the Bard!’” My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Good, the Bard and the Ugly’ by Susie Donkin. This comedy-drama proved t......more


Quotes

I can wholeheartedly confirm that Susie Donkin is funnier than Shakespeare

Impeccably researched, contagiously enjoyable, highly recommended.