Booklist Review

From the creative mastermind who translated the Star Wars trilogies into Shakespearean plays comes a welcome new drama based on 2015's blockbuster, The Force Awakens. Continuing earlier installments' comical tone which includes such memorable lines as thou who heard'st nerfs and giggleworthy gags like R2-D2 speaking in beeps to the cast but English to the audience Doescher's latest features everything from singing Rathtars to Wookie footnotes. In the play's funniest addition, an elderly storm trooper reminisces about the Darth Vader-Luke Skywalker saga. However, the parallels between past and present perplex a younger trooper: when the first mentions a droid, the second doesn't know if it's R2 or BB-8; when he refers to a deadly weapon, the other can't differentiate between the Death Star and Starkiller Base. Though Doescher's premise and execution are undeniably hilarious, he is, at heart, a fan who delves into his favorite characters' deepest psyches. Carefully crafted monologues reveal their conflicting emotions, such as when Finn first doubts his orders or when Kylo kills Han. The Shakespearean language both enhances and satirizes their personalities Kylo Ren's melodrama, Rey's self-discovery, and everyone else's snappy banter. Includes inked, Renaissance-style illustrations of movie stills. Fans will find a lot to laugh at here.--Hyzy, Biz Copyright 2017 Booklist