The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth by Ian Lendler & Zack Giallongo - Ashley's Review

*I received this comic from First Second Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth
Authors: Ian Lendler & Zack Giallongo
Publication Date: September 30, 2014

Synopsis: The Stratford Zoo looks like a normal zoo... until the gates shut at night. That's when the animals come out of their cages to stage elaborate performances of Shakespeare's greatest works. They might not be the most accomplished thespians, but they've got what counts: heart. Also fangs, feathers, scales, and tails. 

Ian Lendler's hilarious tale of after-hours animal stagecraft is perfectly paired with the adorable, accessible artwork of Zack Giallongo (Broxo, Ewoks). And with Romeo and Juliet coming in book two, this is a promising new series for young readers. 

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Review: Honestly, most of the Shakespeare I've read has been because of classes in high school and college. I don't typically seek out his works (I enjoy them, they just don't really hold my attention like they used to), but I do enjoy seeing the popular plays retold for different audiences. Might as well introduce them young! 

This comic takes the bare bones of the play and makes it into something that young kids would enjoy. All of the important plot points and characters are there, and they're twisted into something a little less dark and scary than the original. It's actually pretty cute and often funny, and I enjoyed seeing how the animals would deal with the very serious original scenes. And how they would deal with people coming back to the zoo/security walking by!

I would definitely recommend this to the younger generation as an introduction to the works of Shakespeare. Macbeth might not be the easiest play to understand in its original form, but I think this comic makes it more accessible to kids and even people who don't want to read the whole thing. It did help to have the background of having read the original play, but I don't think it's necessary to enjoying this comic. I'm actually looking forward to how the animals at the Stratford Zoo (I also love that it's called the Stratford Zoo) put on Romeo and Juliet! A 4/5! 


--Ashley