Reverse Plagiarism
What is the murder of Tybalt, Juliet's cousin?
This character is a direct parallel to another one of Shakespeare's productions, built around the concept of mistaken identity.
Who is Viola de Lesseps?
This disease was ravaging Europe intermittently during Shakespeare's career.
What is the Plague?
This play about a man selling his soul is referenced heavily in Shakespeare in Love.
What is Doctor Faustus?
Shakespeare invented this word to describe a body part located on the arm.
What is "elbow"?
"What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by? / Unless it be to think that she is by / And feed upon the shadow of
perfection..." is a line taken from this play.
What is The Two Gentlemen of Verona?
At the funeral of Kit Marlowe, Will represents a character from this regularly quoted play.
What is Hamlet?
The ritual performed by Shakespeare before he begins writing is taken from a superstition associated with a "cursed" play thought to bring bad luck to performers when mentioned explicitly in performance spaces.
What is the Scottish Play?
These actors were true performance rivals in history.
Who are Edward Alleyn and Richard Burbage?
(Bonus Points for naming their troupes)
This word, used by Shakespeare to define the boisterous, defiant nature of a person, was reappropriated by Gen Z to describe what is now referred to as "rizz".
Hint: Currently, in its shortened form, this word is used to describe merchandise.
What is "swagger"?
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" is the beginning of this Shakespearean sonnet.
What is Sonnet 18?
In the film Shakespeare in Love, Rosaline is inspired by this character in Romeo and Juliet.
Who is Rosaline Capulet, Romeo's original love interest?
This group of people protested theater's "immorality" to the point that lawmakers banned stage plays in 1642. Later, Shakespeare would satirize them through characters like Malvolio in Twelfth Night.
Who are the Puritan officials?
This famous playwright was thought to be an agent for the Queen, homosexual, and Atheist due to the secretive nature of his life.
Who is Christopher "Kit" Marlowe?
This compound word first appears in The Life and Death of King John and is often used in modern day to describe violent criminals or crimes (i.e. murder).
"Doubt that the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move" is taken from which play by Shakespeare.
What is Hamlet?
Viola's arranged marriage to Lord Wessex is created to reference the arranged marriage opposed by this leading character in a Shakespeare rom-com.
Who is Hermia?
Will falling in love with cross-dressing Viola mimics this real-life rumor about Shakespeare's love life.
What is the rumor that Shakespeare was bisexual?
Webster's snitchery in the interest of causing chaos shows his alignment with this genre of theatre.
What is Revenge (or Jacobean) Tragedy?
This phrase, often used to describe the act of "getting to know someone", first appeared in The Taming of The Shrew.
(hint: this phrase can also be adapted to an introductory theater game, often used to learn names)
What is "break the ice"?
"A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!" is a quote from the king of this Shakespearean play.
What is Richard III?
When Will assumes the identity of Kit Marlowe to escape the clutches of Lord Wessex, he is recreating the plot line of this comedy.
What is The Comedy of Errors?
The phrase used to refer to the period of Shakespeare's life where not much of his activities are known.
What are "The Lost Years"? (1585-1592)
A key duty of the Master of Revels, held by Edmund Tilney, involved this highly controversial aspect of proof-reading and editing by a government official.
What is censorship?
This phrase was coined by Shakespeare and is now defined by Oxford Dictionary as "a foolish and hopeless pursuit of something unattainable".
What is a "wild goose chase"?