Millennium musical thats a blast

I am a huge fan of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. I've seen their Shakespeares three times - their Hamlet in half an hour, and all 37 of Shakespeare's plays in 97 minutes - and also their Complete History Of America. And I saw their The Bible: The Complete Word Of God (Abridged) both in Edinburgh and Richmond.

You can't really pin down their style, apart from its sheer exuberance. I like the way they mix intelligence with broad jokes and slapstick. And they move like a dream - their shows are so acrobatic and energetic. But what I admire is the way they mix all these different styles and yet it all holds together as a piece. I really admire their construction.

When you come out of a Reduced Shakespeare show you feel really good. They should be incorporated into the NHS. They obviously aren't afraid to take on the big subjects. The Complete Millennium Musical (Abridged) includes gems like the Four Norsemen Of The Apocalypse, the impressionist Toulouse-Lautrec tap-dancing, and Van Gogh doing James Stewart. I love all that. It's eclectic, it comes from everywhere.

The Reduced Shakespeare Company were born of street entertaining, of course, starting off performing their 30-minute Hamlet in Los Angeles and San Francisco. I think that is the key to the whole thing, because you can't lose the audience's attention when you are performing on the streets. You've got to hit them hard.

The Reduced Shakespeare company are always in your face. They won't let you alone. We haven't a comparable company in Britain. If there was one I'd go on my knees and beg to be in it.

The Complete Millennium Musical (Abridged), opens Tue 25 Jul, Greenwich Theatre, Croom's Hill, SE10 (020-8858 7755).