Folger Hamlet

In a free moment recently I picked up a copy of the Folger Shakespeare Library edition of Hamlet.  It's the version of the play that I used back in high school many years ago, and it's still the version that is used at my old school, albeit a much newer edition these days.  Of all of the versions that I have seen, this one strikes me still as the most user-friendly one, with the side-by-side text and explanatory notes.  It made it easy for this then-senior to figure out what all of the Shakespearean English meant.

The updated edition (2012) includes an essay by Michael Neill, entitled "Hamlet:  A Modern Perspective."  It was this section that was the focus of that day's free time.  The essay is a concise treatment of several topics:  the play's adaptability, surveillance, memory, things left unfinished, and death.  It's a good, short introduction to Hamlet critique and a good jumping-off point for the novice (or diversion for a veteran).

The opening line of the essay grabbed me immediately, and it is that quote with which I end this brief post.  I would have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with the speaker.

"The great Russian director Vsevolod Meyerhold used to maintain that 'if all the plays ever written suddenly disappeared and only Hamlet miraculously survived, all the theaters in the world would be saved.  They could all put on Hamlet and be successful.'"

Life After Hamlet

"This is one of the greatest plays ever written, so shut up and listen!"

So begins Season Two of Slings & Arrows, the Canadian series about the travails of the dramatic company of the New Burbage Festival.  I wrote about Season One over a year ago, during the 2013 Christmas holiday.  This year's festivities provided a great opportunity to check out Season Two.  (Yes, I know I'm quite a few years behind the times.  Hamlet doesn't get old, though.)

The new season begins where we left our heroes last season.  Hamlet is about to finish its run.  We see it mired in a matinee performance attended by a less than interested school group.  Their teacher tries to bring them to order with the statement cited earlier.  He's not much inspiration, though, as he sleeps through the Ophelia death scene.

Once Hamlet is finished, what's to do?  The company moves into their next dramatic season, headlined by Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet.  Much conflict and hilarity ensue as the plays are developed, rehearsed and performed.  As a side plot, the Festival works with an advertising company to boost its marketing efforts.  It's not nearly that straightforward, though.  (A side note here--Colm Feore plays the ad exec in charge of the New Burbage account.  He starred in A Midsummer Night's Dream in Stratford, Ontario, the first Shakespearean production that I ever saw live.)

I was left wanting more once Season Two's six episodes were finished.  Isn't that what a good play should do, though?  It was another terrific performance, one I cannot recommend highly enough.  It even left me looking forward to seeing Macbeth live on stage one of these days.  Hamlet is still my favorite, but this might be incentive to branch out a bit in the future.

As Hamlet wrapped its final run, one of the audience-goers provided the following summation.  It works perfectly.

"I liked it well enough.  It's Hamlet.  I liked you didn't tart it up....  You can't go wrong with Hamlet."

A Shorter Hamlet

One of the gifts of Christmas 2014 was a copy of Hamlet from Macmillan's series entitled A Shorter Shakespeare.  (Thanks Tracey!)  As the series is advertised, "All the world's in Shakespeare...were there but time enough to explore it."  The work in question provides an extreme abridgment of Hamlet.  The play is retold as a story, with narrative combined with excerpts of the actual Shakespearean text.  As one might expect, though, the entire "To be or not to be" soliloquy is included.  Along with the text are full-color illustrations of various scenes.  The entire play comprises 48 pages, and surprisingly the work in its brevity still does justice to the story.  It is a great little introduction to the play for a novice and a great addition to a veteran's ever-growing Hamlet collection.

More Stratford Happenings

Tickets for the 2015 Stratford Festival are now on sale to the general public.  As if seeing Hamlet on stage is not enough of a draw, here is another reason to head north.  Check out the description below for one of the Festival's Forum Events.

Being Hamlet
Wednesday, July 29, 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Chalmers Lounge, Avon Theatre
Hamlets of productions past come together to discuss the impact of playing this seminal role on their lives and work.

A matinee performance of Hamlet follows at 2 p.m. in the Festival Theatre.  It's a shame that July 29 is so far away.