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SCHOOLS & THE ISSUE OF SHAKESPEARE'S MULTITUDINOUS SEXUAL REFERENCES

ELIZABETHAN ATTITUDES TO SEX & INNUENDO

Many of Shakespeare's plays are pregnant with sexual references, far more more than most people realise.  Elizabethans loved them and Versebuster annotations are totally frank out about them.  Accordingly our Adult series is not suitable for under-18s.

SENIOR-SCHOOL VERSIONS (AGES 16-18)

To avoid potential embarrassment, our Senior-School versions are free of explicit sexual references.  In places where some sort explanation is needed to make a passage broadly clear we do our best to use a euphemism.  A smiley in the margin means an adult can check the adult version for more information.

Where a reference refers to female or male genitalia we will put the straightforward biological name, i.e. vagina or penis.  For the sexual act we will put 'fornicate' or 'copulate'.

With the exception of Julius Caesar and Richard II that have no significant sexual references, all plays come in a Senior-School version.

AGES 14-16

The teacher / director / head of school will have to make up their own mind whether children below 16 are mature enough for our materials.  They are called 'Senior-School versions' for a reason.  We will accept no responsibility or liability for others' professional misjudgement.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

Please note that due to cultural differences we cannot guarantee there is nothing in our Senior-School versions that would ever cause offence to somebody somewhere, but we believe we have taken all reasonable steps in our Senior-School versions.

If in doubt, write to us first.  If still in doubt, do not buy !