Today's play: the Fifteen minute Hamlet.
So I freely admit I chose this play today because I am going upstate climbing and needed a fast play. But I did in fact read it at 5:45 am before heading out. While it would take 15 minutes to perform, I read it in about 7.
My thoughts - I love the fact that Tom Stoppard took this epic tragedy (some would consider it the best English language play ever written) and made it a concise 15 minute farce. I laugh at how curt this play is while still telling the complete story using all the money lines you recognize. It's still the tragedy, for sure, but it comes off as mildly hilarious given the speed. Then just for kickers, Stoppard adds an encore that tells hamlet again, in but two pages. Totally awesome.
While I love this little piece, there are two problems with it - I wonder, that if you don't know hamlet at least a little, how much you will get. Then because it is short by nature (at 15 minutes) is it possible to ever do the play commercially outside a one act festival or interlude before or during a full length? It's great - but it also needs to be done to be "successful" right? But then maybe, it's really just meant to be read. Does that make it a play or a novella by nature?
Final verdict: I love it and now want to read a full length Shakespeare farce.
Tomorrows play: I will decide tonight!
If you would like to make a suggestion of a play to read, leave it in the comments! If you would like to join me in reading, I'd love the company. #PlayADay4May
-Matt
So I freely admit I chose this play today because I am going upstate climbing and needed a fast play. But I did in fact read it at 5:45 am before heading out. While it would take 15 minutes to perform, I read it in about 7.
My thoughts - I love the fact that Tom Stoppard took this epic tragedy (some would consider it the best English language play ever written) and made it a concise 15 minute farce. I laugh at how curt this play is while still telling the complete story using all the money lines you recognize. It's still the tragedy, for sure, but it comes off as mildly hilarious given the speed. Then just for kickers, Stoppard adds an encore that tells hamlet again, in but two pages. Totally awesome.
While I love this little piece, there are two problems with it - I wonder, that if you don't know hamlet at least a little, how much you will get. Then because it is short by nature (at 15 minutes) is it possible to ever do the play commercially outside a one act festival or interlude before or during a full length? It's great - but it also needs to be done to be "successful" right? But then maybe, it's really just meant to be read. Does that make it a play or a novella by nature?
Final verdict: I love it and now want to read a full length Shakespeare farce.
Tomorrows play: I will decide tonight!
If you would like to make a suggestion of a play to read, leave it in the comments! If you would like to join me in reading, I'd love the company. #PlayADay4May
-Matt
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