Season 3 of the popular animated series reimagines Shakespearian plays for kids – all in two minutes!
LONDON -- Hopster, BAFTA-nominated educational and entertainment digital platform, Hopster, has launched a brand-new animated serie,s Two Minute Tales from Shakespeare (10 x2 min). This original animation is the third season of the popular series, Two Minute Tales, developed by Hopster Studios Productions and produced by the Consortium of Gentlemen. The series features nine classic Shakespeare plays retold in two minutes, in a witty, speedy, and magical way; an additional episode is about Shakespeare himself.
The series, aimed at 4-6-year-olds, introduces preschoolers to Shakespeare, its iconic characters, famous quotes, and immersive core themes. The plays include: Hamlet; The Tempest; Romeo and Juliet; Henry IV; King Lear; Macbeth; and Othello.
Episode Synopsis
The Indecisive Prince (Hamlet):
- When an indecisive prince meets a talkative skull, he finally makes a decision.
The Very Friendly Neighbours (Romeo and Juliet):
- When their children are found to be missing, the battling cats and dogs learn to work together.
The King Who Wouldn’t Listen (King Lear):
- When a stubborn king’s cake is destroyed by his daughters, he learns the art of listening.
The Very Wicked Witches (Macbeth):
- When a little girl’s friend is threatened by witches, she must do the very things she didn’t want to do in order to save him.
The Green-Eyed Monster (Othello):
- When the green-eyed monster of jealousy threatens his friends, a little boy learns how to share.
The Very Brave Lion Cub (Henry IV):
- When a lion cub sets out to do brave things, he learns the meaning of true bravery.
The Very Busy Wizard (The Tempest):
- When his daughter brings a monster home, a busy wizard finally makes time to play with her.
The Good Night’s Sleep (A Midsummer Night’s Dream):
- When sleep transforms a grumpy little boy into a donkey, he discovers the benefits of a good night’s rest.
The Identical Twins (Twelfth Night):
- When a pair of cross-dressing of twins challenge the rules, everyone agrees that anyone can play any game they like.
The Glovemaker’s Son (How Shakespeare became a writer):
- When a daydreaming boy discovers the theatre, he finds the perfect place to realize his dreams.
To support the series, Hopster has created a detailed educational activity pack for each episode offering children a deeper understanding of the stories and the art of storytelling through learning activities, fun games, and crafts. It has also commissioned a How to Make Your Own Cereal box theatre video:
All ten packs can be downloaded here. Watch a mini trailer:
The first two seasons of Two Minute Tales were based on traditional Grimm’s Fairy Tales. They offer preschoolers fast-paced, modern, and quirky stories that challenge traditional gender stereotypes and promotes diversity. The series has received worldwide recognition including being shortlisted at last year’s British Animation Award in the Best Short Form Content category.
“Shakespeare's plays are wonderfully layered and complex but can be hard for kids to engage with from a young age,” commented Hopster head of content, Ellen Solberg. “We hope that by introducing kids to the key themes and characters of his stories in an enjoyable, creative and preschool-friendly way, they may go on to develop a stronger interest and passion for his plays and theatre later in life.
“It’s been fascinating adapting Shakespeare for such a young audience - the themes and characters in the plays are so strong that there’s an embarrassment of riches to work with," noted Consortium of Gentlemen narrator, writer, animator, and director, Mole Hill.
Source: Hopster Studios Productions
