Shakespeare Rejection Letter

Excerpt from the book The Rhetorical Musketeers and other stories, only free for another couple of hours.

Fourthly, some of the imagery is rather dated and should be changed for a new, hip clientele. For example, consider changing ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ to ‘Kalashnikovs and nuclear missiles of good luck’, which would appeal to a modern audience.

Fifthly, using Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” as part of your play, without acknowledgement, breaches copyright and is illegal. If there has to be another play within your play, which seems like showing off to us, it would be best to use another name.

Finally, inject some humour into the play. The speech ‘To be or not to be’ could be set in a stationery shop and you might have the actor search for pencils whilst speaking his lines. This would raise a few laughs we feel sure.