HAMLET,
by William Shakespeare
January 24, 25 & 26, 2008 - Directed by Jill Navarre
at Town Hall, Auroville
A Hamlet for our Time
In order to understand all the private griefs and calculations of characters in a play like Hamlet, you have to take their public power struggles seriously and to have an instinctive sense of how important and overbearing these struggles
can be and how brutally they can intrude into the would-be 'private' lives of the characters.
This Hamlet is set not in an embattled medieval kingdom, but in a modern corporation (the 'Denmark Corporation') threatened with a hostile takeover (by the Fortinbras Corporation, presumably).
What is gained is that suddenly, for instance, the advice from Laertes to his sister Ophelia – about how Hamlet may love her, but that doesn't mean he won't be obliged by his family position later to dump her and marry someone more suitable, and that Ophelia could, in the meantime, be "ruined" – suddenly makes a whole lot more sense, at any rate to me.
I don't have to work out why what Laertes says makes sense. I read the gossip columns, and I know already why Ophelia might be playing with fire.
For a young girl, from a good but not a famous family, now to be known to
her friends and family as not being a virgin, and indeed to be known to have had several flings, well, that's not a problem nowadays. But once the media get all over it, a story like this can turn very nasty.
What if Ophelia tells the media that she expects to marry Hamlet, but then he does dump her. What if 'polite society' then shuns her. And what if, simply to make ends meet, she then sells her sad story to some other bit of the media,
and they – because what can she do to stop them? – fiddle the details to make her look utterly gullible and stupid and maybe even a calculating little bitch?
Suddenly 'ruin' isn't such a strange idea after all. In a world of blanket media coverage of the lives of the high and mighty, and of blanket media coverage of the girls who get mixed up with them, a young woman can indeed be 'ruined'.
What the Critics Have Said about "Hamlet"
Enjoying "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare by Ed Friedlander, M.D. [email protected]
"...pluck out the heart of my mystery..." -- Hamlet
"Once you get past the minor difficulties posed by the language, you'll probably enjoy "Hamlet" -- and not just for its action.
"Hamlet" is the first work of literature to look squarely at the stupidity, falsity and sham of everyday life, without laughing and without easy answers. In a world where things are not as they seem, Hamlet's genuineness, thoughtfulness, and sincerity make him special.
Hamlet is no saint. But unlike most of the other characters (and most people today), Hamlet chooses not to compromise with evil.
Dying, Hamlet reaffirms the tragic dignity of a basically decent person in a bad world.
"Hamlet" is the first work of literature to show an ordinary person looking at the futility and wrongs in life, asking the toughest questions and coming up with honest semi-answers like most people do today. Unlike so much of popular culture today, "Hamlet" leaves us with the message that life is indeed worth living, even by imperfect people in an imperfect world.
Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is full of talk about death, dead bodies, murder, suicide, disease, graves, and so forth. And there is no traditional Christian comfort or promise of eventual justice or happiness for the good people. But the
message is ultimately one of hope. You can be a hero.
Aristotle wrote that in a tragedy, the protagonist by definition learns something. Whatever you may think of Aristotle's reductionist ideas about serious drama, Shakespeare's heroes all develop philosophically. (You may not agree with everything they decide.)
As you watch the play, notice how Hamlet -- who starts by wishing he was dead -- comes to terms with life, keeps his integrity, and strikes back successfully at what's wrong around him.
So far as I know, it's the first time this theme -- now so common -- appeared in world literature."
In order to understand all the private griefs and calculations of characters in a play like Hamlet, you have to take their public power struggles seriously and to have an instinctive sense of how important and overbearing these struggles
can be and how brutally they can intrude into the would-be 'private' lives of the characters.
This Hamlet is set not in an embattled medieval kingdom, but in a modern corporation (the 'Denmark Corporation') threatened with a hostile takeover (by the Fortinbras Corporation, presumably).
What is gained is that suddenly, for instance, the advice from Laertes to his sister Ophelia – about how Hamlet may love her, but that doesn't mean he won't be obliged by his family position later to dump her and marry someone more suitable, and that Ophelia could, in the meantime, be "ruined" – suddenly makes a whole lot more sense, at any rate to me.
I don't have to work out why what Laertes says makes sense. I read the gossip columns, and I know already why Ophelia might be playing with fire.
For a young girl, from a good but not a famous family, now to be known to
her friends and family as not being a virgin, and indeed to be known to have had several flings, well, that's not a problem nowadays. But once the media get all over it, a story like this can turn very nasty.
What if Ophelia tells the media that she expects to marry Hamlet, but then he does dump her. What if 'polite society' then shuns her. And what if, simply to make ends meet, she then sells her sad story to some other bit of the media,
and they – because what can she do to stop them? – fiddle the details to make her look utterly gullible and stupid and maybe even a calculating little bitch?
Suddenly 'ruin' isn't such a strange idea after all. In a world of blanket media coverage of the lives of the high and mighty, and of blanket media coverage of the girls who get mixed up with them, a young woman can indeed be 'ruined'.
What the Critics Have Said about "Hamlet"
Enjoying "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare by Ed Friedlander, M.D. [email protected]
"...pluck out the heart of my mystery..." -- Hamlet
"Once you get past the minor difficulties posed by the language, you'll probably enjoy "Hamlet" -- and not just for its action.
"Hamlet" is the first work of literature to look squarely at the stupidity, falsity and sham of everyday life, without laughing and without easy answers. In a world where things are not as they seem, Hamlet's genuineness, thoughtfulness, and sincerity make him special.
Hamlet is no saint. But unlike most of the other characters (and most people today), Hamlet chooses not to compromise with evil.
Dying, Hamlet reaffirms the tragic dignity of a basically decent person in a bad world.
"Hamlet" is the first work of literature to show an ordinary person looking at the futility and wrongs in life, asking the toughest questions and coming up with honest semi-answers like most people do today. Unlike so much of popular culture today, "Hamlet" leaves us with the message that life is indeed worth living, even by imperfect people in an imperfect world.
Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is full of talk about death, dead bodies, murder, suicide, disease, graves, and so forth. And there is no traditional Christian comfort or promise of eventual justice or happiness for the good people. But the
message is ultimately one of hope. You can be a hero.
Aristotle wrote that in a tragedy, the protagonist by definition learns something. Whatever you may think of Aristotle's reductionist ideas about serious drama, Shakespeare's heroes all develop philosophically. (You may not agree with everything they decide.)
As you watch the play, notice how Hamlet -- who starts by wishing he was dead -- comes to terms with life, keeps his integrity, and strikes back successfully at what's wrong around him.
So far as I know, it's the first time this theme -- now so common -- appeared in world literature."
CAST:
HAMLET ... Drupad OPHELIA ... Saraswati GERTRUDE ... Savitri CLAUDIUS ... Charu LAERTES ... Anadi POLONIUS ... Otto The GHOST, First PLAYER, PLAYER KING ... Swar HORATIO ... Margarita GOLDIE STERN, MARCELLUS ... Sabari ROSIE CRANTZ, FRANCISCO, The PRIEST ... Florise BERNARDO ... Elke 2nd PLAYER, PLAYER QUEEN, The MESSENGER, Mita 3rd PLAYER, OSRIC, LUCIANUS, a GRAVEDIGGER ... Peter H. a GRAVEDIGGER, a WATCHMAN ... Jenny FORTINBRAS ... Srinivasan The NARRATOR .. Jill Design: Sound ... Janaka Sound Mix by Matthia Lights... Jean L., Mahi Follow spot ... Joy, Jonah, Himal Costumes of The Ghost, Gertrude, Polonius, Claudius ... Coco Fight Sequences ... Jeremy Hair Stylists and Makeup: Rena, Ladina Asst. for Makeup and Hair ... Swaha, Aurotaranti Graveyard Skulls by Saraswati and friends Stage Manager: Mira Asst. Stage Managers: Thanajayan and Segar Director: Jill Many thanks to: Lakshman and Luigi at Town Hall for their assistance Jean-Marc and the Le Morgan staff for trying their best Marco and Nina at the MMC - Cinema Paradiso - for their cooperation Mauricio for Shakespeare's Sonnet music Anna (Gaia) for dance choreography Town Hall watchmen for being our first audience Crisp Whiskers The Medicis All the husbands, wives, lovers, friends and families for their infinite patience during this journey The Free Store and Nandini for costumes and tailoring Ganesh Bakery for feeding us Anna, Saraswati's mom, for feeding the audience The Visitor's Centre cafeteria for the tea Ireno for great photos AVRadio for audio CD of HAMLET Yatra for the HAMLET video Saraswati for her endless hospitality SAIIER and Auroville Artist's Gathering for their financial support and encouragement special thanks to Savitri for providing us with a rehearsal space at New Creation |
Rehearsal Monday 30th of April
Meeting with Gertrude, Claudius, Hamlet and Hamlet senior
Exercise: talk with your eyes.
Gertrude: Cat, looking for attention, going toward others. Hamlet: Horse, running free. Claudius: Panther, tiger, wild dog ?????? Hamlet senior: a bear Conversation btw Hamlet s. and Hamlet . Hamlet is in his head, he talks about philosophy. Hamlet s. is down to earth, only interested in what Hamlet is saying when he talks about knowing what Claudius is going to do. H.s talks about spying on Claudius. Conversation btw Gertrude and Claudius. Claudius tries to get G. to come with him to India . “You should come with me, I would be glad to accompany you”. Conversation btw Hamlet senior and Claudius. Hamlet senior: Claudius is too old to get married. Claudius: why do you always say things like that? What's your problem with me. Fuck you. You treat me like dirt. Unfortunately for you, I'm your brother. (Gertrude defends Claudius but denies it to Hamlet senior.) Hamlet senior: you don't realize that without me, you wouldn't be here. Why are you sneaking around my wife? Cl: ha, ha. I feel for her. You ignore her. Why should I listen to you? Hamlet senior: I'll tell you why, because I give you money. I protect you, love you. Cl: As long as I was in line. Did what you asked. Love, what an idea of love, you asshole. You are finished, finished. I can't communicate with you anymore. Hamlet senior: I don't want to see you anymore. Cl: At least we agree on something. Jill: “this play is about relationships; through relationships we tell the story. The most dramatic moments are when you discover something in relation to others.” Ending the rehearsals with intimate conversations between Charu and Swar, Savitri and Axel. |