Mitt and Barack, please step away from the podium. This weekend the Vineyard stage belongs to another power struggle, one that due to its historical significance easily trumps the contemporary ways of man. King John is coming to the Katharine Cornell Theatre.

It is the first show of the season for Shakespeare for the Masses, a theatre troupe that condenses the master’s plays to a running time of one hour. The concise telling usually results in more humorous tales.

This weekend the crew promises belly-laughs and on-stage battles, but, alas, no battleships or bayonets. After all, the players and the audience need to keep their fingers.

But they do offer all of this mayhem and culture free, as their mission is to bring, well, Shakespeare to the Masses. Kids will enjoy the show, too. Donations are, of course, accepted.

The King John cast features Samuel Graber-Hahn, Christopher Brophy, Brooke Ditchfield, Molly Purves, Chris Roberts, Rob Myers, Jill Macy,

Xavier Powers, Leslie J. Stark, Chelsea McCarthy and Nicole Galland.

Shows are tonight, Nov. 2, and tomorrow, Nov. 3, both shows beginning at 7 p.m.