I am entering an SCA Bardic competition and i thought 'what about an epically long type medeival/fantasy like story that is condensed into five minute plays?'

I got the idea originally when I had a sound clip of the Muppets apparently doing 'Star Wars in Thirty Seconds' (not sure if it acutally IS the muppets)

My first idea is 'Lord of the Rings in Five minutes' (Or less)

But what about my second play? 

 I was pondering a medieval 'whos' on first' but it would have to be pretty original.

My ideas were condensing Hamlet or the Illiad, however if anyone has suggestions for other medieval/fantasy type Epics that can be thus shortened comically then yay!

First thing that popped into my head was Robin Hood but I am not sure how epic that is.

How about the Tales of King Arthur?

are those known for being INsanely Long Epic Stories?  Tales of King Arthur are nice but they're a collection of stories no? Same with Robin Hood.

The viking sagas, maybe?  Perhaps do a 5-minute version of the Ring Cycle.  The legend of Charlemagne/Orlando?  How about material plundered from the Norman troubadours?

Just a few ideas.

Regards,
Rob

Epic of Gilgamesh?  Or the Ramayana?

Could work.

A friend suggested Divine Comedy as a limerick.

I can also do my original "Burning Baron Beothuk' too.

or a shorter play involving a bagpiper.

Did your friend give you the limerick?  I thought it was funny, so I wrote this for you.  Enjoy!
The once was a man called Dante
Who half-way through life lost his way
So he travelled from hell
up to heaven so well
that he turned the trip into a play.

bwahahah. No, I didnt know there was a limerick already written!

thank you!

After consideration I think I would do better to do only one Epic plus another type of play with my puppets to varey it up, but that means I only have longer to work on the OTHER epics (like say, READING the ILliad or Hamlet).

I will post my 'Five Minute Tolkien' play here of coures for others to enjoy, plus see about a recording on youtube.

The hardest part is being true to the book. I wanted a surprise ending where Punch comes up and whallops SAruman after her bullies the Hobbits, killing him.

But stuff in the book happens AFTER that. But how do you top THAT for an ending?

Don't bother trying to be too true to the book.  You've only got five minutes, after all.  But I think if I were you I'd make one of the characters be played by punch all along.  It's less puppet-ex-machina that way, and more like using commedia del arte stock characters.