Not surprisingly, we get this question all the time. Details and some photos of the production were outlined in Hamlet: The Texts of 16 (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series) - "They chose an intimate indoor set, furnished like a library, they dressed the actors in vaguely Victorian or Edwardian costumes, and they cast a woman as Hamlet." Tim was kind enough to give us some further, pretty illuminating, insight into his production:ġ) Why did you decide to cast a woman as Hamlet? What were you exploring? The production dramaturg was Kathleen Irace, editor of the version we're using. In 2003, Tim Sheridan produced and played Horatio in a production of the First Quarto Hamlet, directed by Andrew Borba, at Theatre of NOTE in Los Angeles. And in this final, heartbreaking giving up/giving in there resides finally, paradoxically, also the resolve to act. (Or is it Satan's? Does it matter? One doesn't exist without the other). With this line, Hamlet's restless anxiety of “to be or not to be” gives way to a “let be” of God’s plan. He knows, from the beginning when the Ghost appears to him, that he must, eventually, confront the King - "oh cursed spite that ever I was born to set it right" - and that it will cost him his life. Long or short, it is sweet text that hurts the heart in much the same way that Hamlet himself describes when he learns of the duel: "Believe me, Horatio, my heart is on the sudden very sore all here about."Īnd still, he rejects ‘augury,’ any attempt to read the tea leaves in order to take steps accordingly and instead accepts his destiny. Readiness is all: since no man has aught of what he Now if it be not now, yet it will come: the
' tis not to come if it be not to come, it will be "Not a whit, we defy augury: there's a special If Shakespeare is meant to be performed not read, as Tim's old high school English teacher said, then the above is more accessible and impacting in performance than: But this, to me, is a particularly good example of where the brevity of Q1 enhances the impact because it is more readily understood in performance, especially by those unfamiliar with the play. There's a predestinate providence in the fall of a sparrow."This passage alludes to the Bible, Matthew 10.20: "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father?" Meaning God has a plan for the least of us that we cannot escape.Īs always, Q1 is short by comparison to F and Q2. "If danger be now, why then it is not to come. How often do you get that in one package, I ask you?! But this is an extraordinary group of people - disciplined, talented, big-hearted and FUU- UU- UNNNNNNNNNNN like you wouldn't believe. It's always possible to do another production of Hamlet and I hope to some time. And then we managed to be further blessed with Amanda. And most importantly, we got that rarest of opportunities to take an already great production of an awe- inspiring play and to continue to mine the depths of both, complete with Meghan and the rest of New World and Al and of course my anchor (inasmuch as I can ever get steady), Nick - check out his butoh fu for The Ghost of Hamlet's Flesh.
After everyone was contacted and there was unanimous excitement about the opportunity to remount the show, and everyone miraculously was free for a late June run (including the Pretentious calendar), Cynthia and Meghan pored over each of our copious conflicts 'til they were cross-eyed and managed to hammer out a reasonable rehearsal schedule.
We managed to reassemble the ENTIRE cast for this second go-around, albeit by the skin of our teeth, which made it feel even more meant-to-be. of theater production, it's totally thrilling to see the 'big cheap' ethic alive and well in NYC. As one of the early purveyors of the rat m.o. God bless the Brick people and their incredibly generous spirits. We found a way to produce the show again without paying an arm and a leg. Talk about feeling like this was meant to be (there goes that magical thinking again!): In fact, I AM SO PSYCHED because everything I was dreaming about at the end of the run in July 06 - the all but impossible - HAS OCCURRED.
This is our second time around, so it's not really true. But I suppose it's only fitting that the no-frills Hamlet gets the drive-through, or should that be drive-by?, production process.
Then we'll have 3 more shows and it's over. one day in the space with the platforms and the coffin, one cue-to-cue, one run through in costume and.