'2 b o not 2b?'

Education chiefs may turn Shakespeare into text speak so children can relate to it.

The Department of Education has issued guidelines to schools to be more creative. They are even backing the scheme to take a new approach to plays by the Bard.

Classic lines such as "To be, or not to be?" would be revamped into "2b o not 2b?".

Sean Dickinson, headteacher of Park Community School in Havant, Hants, said: "The core issue with Shakespeare is that it's become dull.

"Using technology like text messaging is one approach to fuel expression and creativity."

Colin Chuter, of Priory School, Portsmouth, said: "Children can lose their way, and this is one way of combating that."

According to The Sun Lindsey Lovett, 15, said: "I think it's a great idea. Shakespeare is well out of date."

But Mark Courtice, director of the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, said: "If you just said to young people, 'Here's Shakespeare as text', it might confuse them."