2001 Season - Genesius Guild

Shakespeare: "Hamlet" July 28, 29, August 4, 5

Perhaps Shakeapeare's greatest play; certainly, his finest character study. First performed about 1600, it has held the stage continuously since then.The acting version used by the Guild is adapted from the Folio edition, further edited to remove all references to Fortinbras, the young man of action set in opposition to Hamlet. This and other minor cuts are used to shorten the play into a manageable span for the outdoor production.

The Plot
Act I

Scene 1 – While Horatio watches with soldiers on guard, the ghost of Hamlet's father appears, but does not speak. They agree to tell young Hamlet of the apparition.

Scene 2 – King Claudius thanks courtiers for their attendance at the funeral of King Hamlet and his own marriage to Gertrude. He gives Laertes leave to return to school and urges young Hamlet to ease his grief over his father's loss. Alone, Hamlet expresses his disguust at his mother's marriage. Horatio and the soldiers tell him of the ghost and he promises to watch with them.

Scene 3 – Laertes bids farewell to Ophelia, warning her not to take Hamlet's profession of love seriously. Polonius enters, sees Laertes off and repeats this warning to Ophelia.

Scene 4 – The ghost appears to Hamlet and bids him follow alone. Hamlet bids Horatio and others leave him alone.

Scene 5 – The ghost tell Hamlet that he was poisoned by Claudius and bids his son to take revenge on his uncle. Hamletswears. He then bids Horatio and the soldiers not to tell anyone what has happened and warns them that he may assume an "antic disposition" to hide his purposes.

Act II

Scene 1 – Polonius sends his servant to follow Laertes to spy on him. Ophelia enters and tells Polonius of Hamlet's strange behavior toward her. Polonius decides to tell Claudius that the cause of Hamlet's distraction is his love for Ophelia.

Scene 2 – Claudius and Gertrude welcome Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Elsinore, asking them to look into Hamlet's strange behavior. Polonius tells the king and queen that the cause is unrequited love and asks the king to spy with him to overhear Ophelia meeting with Hamlet. A company of players arrives. Hamlet engages them to stage a play much like the murder of his father, in order to see how Claudius reacts. Hamlet tells Horatio he wants proof.

Act III

Scene 1 – Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to the king that they cannot discover the cause of Hamlet's behavior, but that he has invited players to perform for them that evening. Polonius and Claudius hide behind a curtain as Hamlet enters and sees Ophelia. Hamlet treats her cruelly, telling her to enter a brothel. Claudius decides that Hamlet is dangerous and must be sent away.

Scene 2 – Hamlet instructs the players. He then sets Horatio to watch Claudius' behavior and settles down by Ophelia, exchanging crude remarks with her. The play portrays the murder of a king, which causes Claudius to leave suddenly. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tell Hamlet of the king's anger and his mother's command to come visit her.

Scene 3 – The king decides to send Hamlet to England, there to be killed. He prays, confessing his guilt. Hamlet sees him and starts to strike, but decides to wait until Claudius is at some less holy practice.

Scene 4 – Polonius tells Gertrude Hamlet is coming, then hides behind a curtain to eavesdrop. Hamlet berates his mother. She cries out, so does Polonius. Hamlet stabs through the curtain, thinking he has killed the king. He continues to harangue his mother, until the ghost appears to stop him. Gertrude cannot see the ghost and thinks Hamlet mad. Hamlet pulls the body of Polonius after him as he leaves.

Act IV (Scenes 1, 2, and 4 omitted)

Scene 3 – The king questions Hamlet, who tells him where Polonius' body is hidden. The king orders Hamlet to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with sealed orders that request the immediate execution of Hamlet.

Scene 5 – The queen agress to see Ophelia, but is distressed by her insanity. She bids Horatio to look after the girl. Laertes bursts in and demands satisfaction for his father's death. Ophelia re-enters and Laertes sees her distraction. Claudius bids Laertes to follow him to receive the full account of what has happened.

Scene 6 – A messenger arrives with a letter for Horatio from Hamlet. Hamlet directs Horatio to come to him.

Scene 7 – Claudius tells Laertes that Hamlet is responsible for Polonius' death and devises a plot in which Laertes may kill Hamlet in a duel. To be sure nothing goes wrong, Claudius will offer Hamlet a poisoned chalice. The queen enters to announce Ophelia's death by drowning.

Act V

Scene 1 – Hamlet and Horatio enter a churchyard and talk with a gravedigger who is preparing a grave. A funeral procession approaches. Hamlet learns that it is Ophelia's and comes forward to struggle with Laertes as they express their mutual grief. The king reminds Laertes of their plots.

Scene 2 – Hamlet tells Horatio of Rosencrantz' and Guildenstern'streachery and of their deaths. Osric enters to announce a duelling contest has been arranged between Hamlet and Laertes. The court arrives and the contest begins. Hamlet outscores Laertes; the king dissolves a pearl (poison) in a cup to drink to Hamlet. Laertes scratches Hamlet while they have paused. Hamlet exchanges swords and stabs Laertes. The queen drinks from the poisoned chalice. As She faints, Laertes confesses his and the king's treachery. Gertrude and Laertes expire. Hamlet kills Claudius and dies. Horatio speaks the final lines normally assigned to Fortinbras.

"There is no mystery in a looking-glass until someone looks into it. Then, though it remains the same glass, it presents a different face to each person who holds it in front of him. The same is true of a work of art. It has no proper existence as art until someone is reflected in it - and no two will ever be reflected the same way. However much we all see in common in such a work, at the center we behold a fragment of our own soul. and the greater the art, the greater the fragment. Hamlet is possibly the most convincing example in existence of this truth. In a ‘less spacious' mirror it is often concealed or obscured. But ‘Hamlet wavered for all of us,' as Emily Dickinson said, and everyone admits finding something of himself in the Prince of Denmark."
-Harold C. Goddard "The Meaning of Shakespeare"

The Cast
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Claudius, King of Denmark, uncle to Hamlet
Gertrude, Hamlet's widowed mother, recently married to Claudius
Ghost of Hamlet's father
Polonius, counselor to the king
Laertes, his son
Ophelia, his daughter
Reynaldo, his servant
Horatio, Hamlet's friend
Rosencrantz, Hamlet's school fellow
Guildenstern, Hamlet's school fellow
Osric, a foppish courtier
Marcellus, a soldier
Bernardo, a soldier
Francisco, a soldier
Gravedigger
Players (five: two speaking parts)
Lord and Ladies of the Court (silent)

More has been written about Hamlet than any other fictional character - and more than all but a handful of living persons. While the focus is on Hamlet throughout, it is well to remember that five young people, including Hamlet, lose their lives in this play because they hadn't the strength to disobey their elders.