The first Hamlet offering was entitled Wm. Shaksper's Hamlet, performed at MuCCC. This was the venue that hosted a 24-minute version of Hamlet as part of the 2014 Fringe Festival. (See 10/12/14 post.) A couple of years removed, we were treated to a new, not-quite-as-condensed version.
The premise of the 2016 production was an interesting one. The Bard himself, one Wm. Shaksper (well, that's how he spells it), welcomed the crowd and engaged in banter with the audience before the show. He introduced the production. Due to time constraints, his masterwork would be performed in a much shortened version in the 50 or so minutes available. Due to issues with the plague, the cast was considerably reduced as well, so each actor was forced to play multiple roles. Due to some scurrilous behavior of two cast members, women (GASP!) were hired to perform on stage. The Bard was not happy about it. At least, though, we would have Richard Burbage in the title role. Regrettably, though, Mr. Burbage was under the weather (read, drunk) and could not perform. That led to a quick audition of three audience members, one of whom was chosen on the spot to play the Prince. I passed up an opportunity to give it a whirl, even if an audience member sitting adjacent to me thought I should try. (Why? Did I look particularly morose?) In any event, methinks it was predetermined and that the actress "hired" to be Hamlet was a plant. I couldn't prove it, though.
One can imagine what followed. It was every bit as ludicrous as expected from the advance billing. Every speaking role managed to appear, although one of the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern pair was a hand puppet held by the other. Which was which? Does it matter? Every scene was represented, even if only for one or two lines. Because Hamlet was not a "professional" actor, our director wrote the character's lines on cards and handed them to the actress to read. Of course, the cards fell on the floor and out of order, which led to the "To be or not to be" soliloquy appearing multiple times before its correct placement. The other soliloquies were all there as well, for at least one line. There were numerous quick costume changes, if one can call them such. Basically, it was the sort of Hamlet that might be performed by children (albeit very cultured ones) in the basement play room on a rainy day.
When it was all over, with no blood spilt and an extra actress (one cut after the pre-performance auditions) "dead" on the floor, it came in just under the allotted time. The advert for the show threatened, "Verily, you shall have a good time!" Indeed, the audience seemed to comply. It was an amusing if completely over-the-top performance, and it set the stage for the other Hamlet production (and blog post) to follow.
