Crap! Now I'm Sad Again...

The plays at the High School rocked, as usual. I think tonight's performance of "The Actor's Nightmare" dragged a bit, but maybe that was because I'm used to seeing it done at a much more frenetic pace. Garick, you did a fantastic job, and so did the rest of your cast. I can't quite put my finger on the problem...maybe the (heh) "pauses" were too long...

"Hamlet" was an emotional roller coaster. I was uncertain how it would play, cut to forty minutes. There were very few awkward spots, and those that there were, were very well covered. At the end of it, I was totally caught up in the waste and devastation. The kids did very well, and I understood every word, and got a real sense that the kids understood, too. The most difficult thing to do with Shakespeare is to play it so it makes sense to a modern ear. Without changing the words themselves (and who in their right mind would want to do that?), the only way to do it is to give them a modern inflection. Any time I've done Shakespeare, I've translated my lines into modern English, and then used the modern form of expression on the original words. Another trick is to write the words out, disregarding the rhythm and working from the punctuation alone. I'm sure that purists would consider that a very shallow approach, but it works for me. As I have said before, I have had no formal education in theater. All my experience comes from community theater, which is sort of "on the job" training.

Anyway, by the end of the play, after a breathtaking fight between Laertes and Hamlet, and the deaths of Gertrude and Claudius, I was in tears. I thought of the loss of Michael (Hamlet) Fariss's brother, and I thought of Jim, and I saw the pride of Denmark lying dead on the floor, and I made quick work of congratulating any of the kids I could lay hands on and skedaddled out of there before I could embarrass Brendan. I didn't even think to take any pictures, so if anyone else got any, could you please send me some?

So now I'm sad.

Oh. One more thing. I have always considered Hamlet to be a bit of a wimp, trapped by his own indecision. Partly due to the cutting, which was excellent, and partly due to Michael Fariss, this Hamlet's waffling and moral uncertainty was kept to a minimum. I liked this Hamlet, as a person, and mourned when he died.

Did I mention that all the acting was really good?