Modern Love, Mess, and Mischief

Reimagining Shakespeare for Contemporary Screens

William Shakespeare may have written his plays over 400 years ago, but his themes - love, ambition, jealousy, pride, mistaken identity - still pulse through every genre we love today. From romcoms to dystopian thrillers, his stories are embedded in our cultural DNA. And yet, Shakespeare is still too often confined to classrooms or lofty theatre spaces, wrapped in Elizabethan English and formality.

But Shakespeare was never meant to be dusty or distant. He was a rule-breaker. A crowd-pleaser. A writer of the people.

That’s why I’ve reimagined five of his iconic plays through a modern lens, creating original screenplays that preserve the heart of his work while recontextualizing them for today’s audiences. These aren’t straight adaptations - they’re bold, playful remixes that celebrate the enduring brilliance of the Bard while giving his stories a fresh, relevant edge.

An Edible Bachelor (based on Romeo and Juliet)

What if the star-crossed lovers were from warring species instead of families? In a dystopian future where most of humanity has mutated into flesh-eating zombies, a human scout falls in love with a seemingly sentient zombie. Together, they must navigate fear, betrayal, and the rules of a broken world to protect something forbidden: love. This reimagining of Romeo and Juliet explores sacrifice and connection in the face of cultural extinction - with blood, bites, and a tender heartbeat beneath the horror.

Double Date (based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

At a magical modern-day dating mixer, four mismatched singles accidentally drink enchanted cocktails - sparking sudden (and misplaced) attraction. As feelings tangle and chaos reigns, they must untangle the mess and figure out what’s real, what’s fantasy, and whether love ever follows the rules. Double Date modernises Shakespeare’s classic romantic farce with a sparkling script full of wit, charm, and a nod to the original’s chaotic love magic - this time served over ice with a twist.

The Merry Wives of Winter Falls (based on The Merry Wives of Windsor)

Two best friends launch a grassroots community initiative in a small town, only to find themselves manipulating a stubborn, prideful man back into the fold - using kindness, cleverness, and a touch of mischief. This gender-forward retelling of The Merry Wives of Windsor highlights the power of women’s friendship, wit, and generosity in shaping change. With modern warmth and social relevance, the "merry wives" become two of the most joyful and grounded heroines on screen.

Northern Lights & Christmas Nights (based on The Tempest)

Stranded by a storm on a remote Scottish isle, a driven businesswoman is forced to stay at a rundown eco-lodge owned by a reclusive inventor and his young daughter. As she confronts her own emotional isolation, she finds herself changed by the landscape, the people, and the quiet magic of healing. A loose but soulful adaptation of The Tempest, this film replaces the tempestuous ocean with swirling snow, and Prospero’s magic with renewable energy, personal grief, and unexpected connection.

The Merchant of Christmas (based on The Merchant of Venice)

A high-powered financial consultant is sent to save a struggling small business, only to uncover exploitation, community injustice, and her own misplaced priorities. As she teams up with the shop’s owner, she must fight to protect the soul of the business - and the people behind it. This reworking of The Merchant of Venice brings themes of equity, debt, and ethical compromise into the world of modern finance, turning Portia’s cunning and strength into the moral and emotional centre of the story.

Why These Stories Still Matter

Shakespeare’s genius wasn’t just in his verse - it was in his understanding of human nature. His characters are flawed, passionate, inconsistent, hilarious, and heartbroken. In short: they’re us.

By reimagining these plays in modern settings, I want to make them accessible not just to scholars or theatre-lovers, but to anyone who’s ever struggled with family, love, identity, or ambition. These scripts are designed to entertain, but also to bridge the gap between classic literature and contemporary cinema.

We don’t need to preserve Shakespeare in amber - we need to let him evolve. That’s where the magic happens.