There are few plays in history that attempt as much spectacle on stage as Antony and Cleopatra, a romantic tragedy of war, lust, politics, lust, betrayal and lust. “This script is frequently quite over-the-top, and the lead characters so histrionic about their feelings for each other that it borders on farce,” explains Nicole Galland, who is cocreator with Chelsea McCarthy of Shakespeare for the Masses, an off-season project produced by the Vineyard Playhouse to make Shakespeare’s plays accessible, fun and affordable (as a matter of fact, it’s free).

Antony and Cleopatra, which has dozens of speaking roles and 42 different scenes, will be performed by a versatile cast of 11 on a bare stage.

Well, almost bare. “We decided to step it up a little,” says Ms. McCarthy, “partly for clarity’s sake but also because we like to keep challenging ourselves.” And so, Ms. McCarthy, after doing her research, created a large map of the Mediterranean region that will be used, tongue-in-cheek, to keep the story on track. She also made several “armadas” out of construction paper, which will be used to humorously “perform” the naval battles which, in most productions of the play, happen off-stage. “My homework was easier,” says Ms. Galland. “I just had to make a sock puppet.”

Antony and Cleopatra plays tonight and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Vineyard Playhouse in Vineyard Haven.