Fans of literature and English humor will not want to miss this. “Revel’s World of Shakespeare,” written, directed and performed by Joseph Graves, will meet local audiences at Shenzhen Poly Theater on March 15.

    Drawing heavily on his considerable personal experiences with Shakespearean plays and study of the plays’ articulations, Graves magically weaves a wildly comedic and deeply moving tale of childhood confusion and exploration, relating it to the “greatest of English writers” — William Shakespeare.

    At 6, Graves was introduced to Shakespeare at the difficult hand and demanding style of his brilliant, though drunken teacher, Clive T. Revel (whose last name inspires the title of the piece), headmaster of The Chelsea School for Boys in London. The first two years of their alternately hilarious and stormy relationship, which eventually spanned some 40 years, are explored in depth in this thought-provoking and charmingly written play.

    Since premiering in Beijing in the summer of 2005, the show has been performed in cities like Beijing, Shenyang, Xi’an, Hong Kong, Macao and Taipei.

    There are a dozen characters in the play, all portrayed by Graves. “The biggest challenge in performing a solo show is the same huge challenge we always find as stage actors: how to find the truth in an imaginary situation, and present that truth in the most clear and emotionally engaging way possible to an audience. Of course, in a solo piece there is no one else to rely on, and so your energy and concentration has to be complete and constant,” Graves said.

    Graves joined Beijing University’s School of Foreign Studies in 2002 teaching Shakespearean plays and later became the artistic director at the university’s Institute of World Theater and Film. Over the past 38 years, Graves has directed over 70 stage productions, including classical, contemporary, musical theater and opera, in the United States, Britain and China.

    Time: 8 p.m., March 15

    Tickets: 80-200 yuan

    Reservations: 400-610-3721

    Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater, intersection of Wenxin Road 5 and Houhaibin Road, Nanshan District (南山区后海滨路与文心五路交界处深圳保利剧院)

    Metro: Shekou Line, Houhai Station (后海站), Exit E(SD News)