Alas, poor Shakespeare, we knew him well but if we're being honest here, not exactly in a way we used to. So much has changed but even so I reckon if Will was around today I think he'd feel duty bound to reflect life as it really is in the 21st century; living, as he would be, on the front line in Stratford upon Avon with his fit bitch Ann Hathaway.

However, nowadays Shakespeare isn't as cool as he used to be because a lot of people think he's boring and lacks street cred. Perhaps. But if the Bard was living today I reckon he'd say "Am I bovvered?" After all, for a man accredited with the greatest literature ever written, what would he have to prove?

No, if William Shakespeare was of this age I am certain that he would still be writing in the Globe turf, getting loads of respect from the Stratford upon Avon massive and producing works of pure genius like 'Romeo and His Fit Bitch Jools', 'De Taming of de Bitch', Macbeff and 'Two Geezas of Verona', and this is what this book is all about.

But for all the purists reading this brief introduction I would just like to say that this abridged collection of fifteen of Shakespeare's finest work has been mindful to stay true to the original format by retaining all the important sexist, duplicitous, cross-dressing and violent moments that made William Shakespeare well wicked.

Respect.