An Ending

I previously posted David Cronenberg's amazing short film/video Camera, which was made for the Montreal International Film Festival.

Cronenberg has made another short film for a film festival - this time as part of the Cannes 60th Anniversary compilation Chacun Son Cinema for which many great directors from around the world made films of approximately 3 minutes or so.

Again, appropriately, Cronenberg takes as his subject cinema itself, and again, death. He himself plays the silent onscreen character.

Here's the film, At the Suicide of the Last Jew in the World in the Last Cinema in the World:

Busy Week, and It's Not Over

Man oh manischevitz, have I been shagged and fagged and fashed this week, as Alexander DeLarge might say.


Rehearsals on the weekend, all going well, as they have been. Sunday, a bit held back by my still being on book for an important scene (sorry, Stacia).


Monday, I had to be at The Brick at 9.00 am to let in a show for rehearsal, then stay until 2.30 pm to help another show coming in.

Then I got to go to Gyda Arber's Memorial Day BBQ for a couple of hours and eat too much meat.

Then back to The Brick from 6.20 pm to 3.30 am to work on getting the tech ready for the Pretentious Festival and have the space ready for a shoot the next day. I was going to have rehearsal Tuesday evening, but after getting home at 5.00 am I emailed the cast and told them I'd be in no shape to work (I might have been able to direct a bit, there was no way I could do anything of value as Hamlet).


Back to the space at 9.30 am Tuesday to open up and supervise the shoot, which featured Ms. Kathleen Turner. Yes, at The Brick. They had to shoot an interview with her for a tribute they're doing at some Massachusetts film festival, and a friend of a friend put this film crew from Boston in touch with us, and it wound up with Ms. Turner giving a great, funny, and candid interview on the stage of The Brick.

Meanwhile, Berit was off at Big Apple Lights getting us the last supplies we needed to finally get the house plot in The Brick set up the way we've wanted it for months. So after the film crew left, we finished the work, sat back a moment to admire it as Amanda, the lighting director for the Fest, wrote some cues for one of the shows she's designing, and then got the hell home to rest a bit.


I'm glad I took Tuesday evening off, and spent Wednesday just doing simple paper and email work at home. I got the first good night's sleep I've had in weeks, got a huge amount accomplished in production work and line-learning, and actually felt relaxed for a while.

Which helped with the line-learning. I'm now almost completely off-book for Act I, with a couple of gaps. I'm going to try to do it tonight with no book, but no matter how well I get it at home, in front of the mirror, I'll still probably lose something and call for line still tonight. Some of it comes so easily and some just won't stick. Almost there on the act. I have 4 hours or more to work this afternoon (I have to be at the space at 5.00 pm, and then have rehearsal at 7.00).


I realized, in line-learning, that Berit and I both missed something in one of my lines that messes up the timeline we worked out for the play - there's one more day in there (we both confused some lines and thought the play within the play happens the same day as when the players arrive - it's the next day). So there's an extra day as what was "July 16" gets split into two days. Oh, well, don't think it'll change anyone's intentions or anything . . .


We now have the great Karen Flood on board doing our costumes for Ian W. Hill's Hamlet, which makes me very happy. She's designed a number of Kirk Wood Bromley's shows, and I've wanted to work with her more, but I think thus far we've only done my production of Mac Wellman's Harm's Way together, back in '98, though she's supplied me with an item here and there (a VERY important bowler hat for Temptation). I wrote her some extensive notes about the show, which I'll put up shortly.

So, more soon.

Costume Notes

Between the two of us, Berit and I can do almost any job there is in theatre anywhere from passably to excellently. Except for one.

Costumes.

Berit and I have a huge blind spot when it comes to this - well, we know what's right when we see it, but trying to imagine it in advance? With few exceptions, we're lost. Spending time trying to self-educate myself online and with fashion magazines has gone nowhere.


So I'm always glad when someone of talent takes this over for us. In the case of Ian W. Hill's Hamlet, that someone is Karen Flood.

Since I have only a few ideas as to what I want, as well as what is needed, as called for by the script, I had to write detailed notes to Karen about the style and feel of this production, and how I view the characters. This wound up being as much for me as for Karen by the end, as it helped keep a few things clear in my mind, and summed up much of the work we've done in rehearsal to this point.


So here the two emails to Karen yesterday, edited a bit:


KF,

Here are my actors and their emails [emails redacted, of course]:

Ian W. Hill (hi!) - Hamlet
Gyda Arber - "Buffy," Norwegian Captain, English Ambassador
Aaron Baker - Francisco (guard), Priest, "Heroic" Player
Danny Bowes - Elsinore Attendant, Gravedigger, Norwegian Soldier
Peter (Bean) Brown - Reynaldo, First ("Dramatic") Player
Maggie Cino - "Muffy," the Gravedigger's Wife, Norwegian Soldier
Edward Einhorn - Guildenstern, Norwegian Soldier
Bryan Enk - Polonius, Fortinbras
Stacia French - Gertrude
Jessi Gotta - Ophelia, Norwegian Soldier
Rasheed Hinds - Horatio
Carrie Johnson - Marcella (guard)
Daniel McKleinfeld - Rosencrantz, Norwegian Soldier
Christiaan Koop - Voltimand
Jerry Marsini - Claudius
Roger Nasser - Osric
Ken Simon - Bernardo (guard), Sailor, "Comic" Player
Adam Swiderski - Laertes, "Female" Player

I'm working on what notes I can for all of the characters above, but the general feel of things that I've been describing is "20th-Century America - all mixed together, no specific decade that can be pinned down" but really I guess I'm thinking more specifically of, say, 1955-1985 (a certain level of modernity, but still before cellphones and the PC revolution - people use dayplanners instead of Blackberries, still) . We jokingly call the locale "Denmark, Connecticut" at rehearsals, as it is very much based on my memories of growing up in preppy Greenwich, CT. Elsinore feels like a cross between a yacht or country club, the White House, and a white-collar business. This is a very class-centric Hamlet.

The soldiers/guards are somewhere between the military and the secret service. There are various lords, attendants, ambassadors, and interns around Elsinore of varied upper-middle-class to upper class stock ("Muffy" and "Buffy," Gertrude's two ladies-in-waiting, are certainly interning daughters of wealthy lords or dukes). The Gravedigger and his wife are working class.

Okay, just got your latest email. I've attached a script and will send this now. I'll have some more detailed notes in a bit.

thanks,

IWH


. . . later . . .


KF,

Okay, below is some more of a breakdown for how I see the characters, with my vague ideas for costumery where I have any, but more often about how I see the characters, as clothing is a blind spot to me, mostly, until I actually see it, so often I write in feelings and images that don't literally apply to clothes, but might give you an idea of what the "feel" is supposed to be.

Also, I don't know if it will help, but I made up a timeline of the events of the show that is on my blog at

http://collisionwork.livejournal.com/79627.html

Since the play takes place, basically, over four days in the course of a year (one in May, one in July, two in September) [as noted last entry, we were wrong on this, there are two days in July], it would effect how people are dressed. There's a lot of notes on the show at the blog, if you're interested, and they can all be accessed through:

http://collisionwork.livejournal.com/tag/hamlet

And, if you don't mind, the kind of thing I like posting on the blog are the notes like I'll be giving you here, so if it's okay with you (please let me know), I'll put them up at some point. As a result, some of these notes may go on and on and be of no use to you, but putting them down makes things clearer in my own head sometimes.

In any case, the characters:

FRANCISCO, BERNARDO, MARCELLA (Aaron Baker, Ken Simon, Carrie Johnson) - Danish soldiers and members of the palace guard. They feel something like a cross between military and secret service. When they are out on the battlements, more military, when in court, more secret service (perhaps with earpieces). They are armed with pistols. In the first scene, when she visits the battlements, Marcella is "off-duty." Apart from that, whenever we see them they are on duty. Francisco is a bit of a slacker, does his job as much as he needs to, and that's it (he wears a watch); Bernardo signed up cause it seemed like a good idea, and now regrets it; Marcella is career military, likes it, and is good at it.

HORATIO (Rasheed Hinds) - from a family and line with more respect, style, and personal nobility than money or titles - I think Rasheed has said he sees himself as the Danish-born (or at least raised) son of diplomats to Denmark from an African country. Black, middle class, with great intelligence and self-awareness. A college friend of Hamlet's with a certain amount of leave to come and go around Elsinore as he pleases, without any real function.

THE GHOST (Ian W. Hill) - Old King Hamlet, in military gear. A warrior and a king. There is, in this production, the ever-so-slight implication that it is, in fact, young Hamlet himself dressed up as his father and wandering around (perhaps sleepwalking). The military garb must be obvious - he needs some kind of helmet, perhaps (I have three real military helmets, but Berit says they all seem "goofy" and "not Royal"). Armed (sword? pistol?). Heavy boots.

CLAUDIUS (Jerry Marsini) - a great Army General, now king. Wears a crown (some kind of simple one, I don't know what yet). Wears some kind of dress military uniform at some public events (certainly at his first speech). Is King now instead of Hamlet primarily because Denmark, threatened by Norway, needs a "War King" now, some kind of show of military "might" at the helm. Much more comfortable as a military man than as a king, but believes it is his duty to run the country now in troubled times. Starched and pressed, but gets a bit more frazzled and unkempt as the play goes on and things fall apart.

GERTRUDE (Stacia French) - poised, beautiful, regal, a Queen through and through. We've decided she's of German origin (a princess married off to the old King Hamlet when he was a young prince). Plenty of USA "First Lady" qualities to her, especially when we see her in "office" scenes where she's signing documents and working (she has reading glasses on a cord around her neck). Tasteful jewelry. Always aware of what it is to be royal, and dressed accordingly (even when meeting her son in her bedroom, she is "casually" well-attired, a Queen meeting a Prince more than a mother meeting a son). Perhaps a crown, too?

POLONIUS (Bryan Enk) - a politician/statesman - like a USA Secretary of State. Somber and fastidious, seemingly boring in his preciseness, but everything is calculated and deliberate. Three piece suit? Wears glasses. Pocket handkerchief. Maybe a pocketwatch with chain and fob?

LAERTES (Adam Swiderski) - handsome, dashing, preppy. The Big Man on Campus, and he knows it. Probably plays lacrosse and ice hockey, as well as being a fencer. Knows how to dress for public occasions, but also dresses down in a deliberate way when not having to dress up. In a perfect world, would wear classic Sperry Topsiders with no socks when saying goodbye to his father and sister at dockside. Wears a watch.

OPHELIA (Jessi Gotta) - I envisioned her as a bit of a tomboy, but I'm not sure Jessi is exactly going that way, or wants to. In any case, I don't think she dresses especially "feminine" until her dad has her dress up to meet Hamlet, and she has to drag out "the pretty dress" to put on. Jeans for the dockside scene with her brother and father, I think. Some kind of nightgown or slip for the mad scene - something unpleasantly "femmy," almost little-girlish. Generally, well-dressed (her family is quite loaded) when need be, but somehow differently formal -- she is wealthy, and near the Royal Court, but she is not of or serving that Court.

HAMLET (Ian W. Hill) - royal, spoiled, preppy, indolent, priggish, prudish, entitled, incredibly intelligent, unpleasant. Blue blazer, blue shirt, nice tie, loafers, tan pants (most of which I have) when we first see him at the Court (with a black armband, which is what is referred to as the "mourning colors" he should cast off, and which he wears for all of Act I). Something slovenly from his closet for when he's acting "mad" - probably nice clothes that have gotten worn or torn or stained (or all of the above), maybe a tie wrapped around his head. Needs an overcoat for the battlements/Ghost scene. Maybe a windbreaker for when he's being shunted off to England. Returns for Act II in black jeans and t-shirt and sunglasses and sneakers.

VOLTIMAND (Christiaan Koop) - Christiaan and I have had some costume discussions, and she has some specific ideas as to what she wants. I see her as very 1970s USA professional business woman/diplomat. She just wants to very definitely not wear a "power suit." She had some very good research photos that we looked at, and knows clothing well. I'm sure the two of you could figure something out well without much more from me. She gets a little more frazzled and unkempt as the play goes on (like Claudius, she gets more overworked and harried after Polonius' death).

REYNALDO (Peter Bean) - servant to the Polonius family, very loyal to them. Well-dressed, but definitely a servant, ready to do anything from carry messages to the King in a formal setting to carrying Laertes' bags for him as he goes away.

OSRIC (Roger Nasser) - a bit of a dandy, a little foppish, but not as over the top or even "swishy" as sometimes portrayed. Devoted to etiquette and propriety in all things Royal -- a dedicated reader and follower of current fashions and trends in Courtly dress and behavior. Does everything by the book. Loves royalty, dislikes Hamlet because he doesn't behave as a Prince should (and loves Laertes because he does). Wears a hat that he can fan himself with, annoyingly (because of the style we're doing this in, it can't be some big feathered monstrosity as it often is, so I'm not sure exactly where to go with it). Pocket handkerchief.

ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN (Daniel McKleinfeld and Edward Einhorn) - from extremely wealthy families, grew up around Elsinore, childhood friends of Hamlet, though not of the Court. Jewish (Daniel and Edward want to wear yarmulkes and will be getting their own, not-quite-"traditional" ones, I believe). Rosencrantz is a bit looser and more stylish than Guildenstern (R is a business student, going for his MBA; G is studying to be a lawyer). Some kind of "travel" coats for when they are going to England.

"MUFFY" and "BUFFY" (Maggie Cino and Gyda Arber) - non-canonical names have shown up for these two who are non-speaking Elsinorians, most often seen as ladies-in-waiting/assistants around Gertrude (Maggie most often is giving Gertrude papers to sign - plans for menus for state dinners, whatever). Preppy intern girls from well-to-do families (as Maggie chirps in rehearsal, "My daddy's a Duke!"). They are also seen to act as cater-waiters. Berit sees them in matching blazers like NBC pages. Not a bad image tonally, even if not what we go with.

ELSINORE ATTENDANT (Danny Bowes) - Danny is the only person hanging around Elsinore who doesn't really have a name/character (otherwise, everyone else is the same characters when we see them around - Francisco, Marcella, Bernardo, Osric, Voltimand, Muffy, Buffy, Reynaldo). Danny is a bit more of a "servant" (we see him clearing food and drink after the opening scene) but we also see him acting as an armed guard helping to bring in Hamlet after he's killed Polonius. I still think a "servant" in his position is somewhat of rank in some way (like Muffy and Buffy), so he's definitely still of a higher class than the military people we see.

THE PLAYERS (Peter Bean, Aaron Baker, Adam Swiderski, Ken Simon) - working actors, tradesmen who know their job. Casual. Peter is the "great dramatic character actor" of the bunch, who plays the evil poisoner in the play within the play, Aaron is the "heroic" actor, who plays the King, Adam is the "female" actor, who plays the Queen (and is getting too big and old to play women's parts), and Ken is the "comic" actor, who plays a servant. They enter and exit in their "traveling" clothes, we also see them in "warmup" attire and in the play "The Murder of Gonzago."

GRAVEDIGGER (Danny Bowes) - a workingman, uneducated but intelligent and savvy. Dressed for work. Overalls? Or, since he has to hang around for the funeral respectfully before filling in the grave, is he in "nice" but scuffed working clothes, and just good enough at his job that he does it fastidiously in shirtsleeves and tie (his jacket hanging on a nearby tombstone)?

GRAVEDIGGER'S WIFE (Maggie Cino) - helps and supervises her husband, and acts, with equal parts love and exasperation, as his "straight man." The Gravedigger and Wife are the representatives of the working class in the play, able to comment on the ways of the world with a freedom that the other people we see cannot, because of the structures around them.

PRIEST (Aaron Baker) - the religiosity of the play is somewhat confusing . . . and while we're creating a rather WASPy world here, the religion seems to work best as Catholicism, so he's a Catholic priest. I have a short-sleeved Catholic priest shirt, but I don't know if it will fit Aaron.

FORTINBRAS (Bryan Enk) - I see him in a long leather coat - fairly much a Nazi, or at least fascistic. Some kind of military hat (not a helmet). No colors but black, grey and silver. Elegant.

FORTINBRAS' SOLDIERS (Danny Bowes, Maggie Cino, Edward Einhorn, Daniel McKleinfeld, Jessi Gotta) - cyberpunk stormtroopers, all leather and vinyl and rubber and metal and duct tape and tubing and goggles and gas masks and steel-toed boots. They smell of gasoline and burning plastic and hair. They don't feel human, but like animated anarchy.

NORWEGIAN CAPTAIN (Gyda Arber) - she is in between the last two mentioned above, and more human than either - not a cold fascist like Fortinbras, nor mindless destruction like the soldiers. An officer with a wry, realistic outlook on war and battles, but who still must look like she belongs to the same fighting force as the rest of the Norwegians.

ENGLISH AMBASSADOR (Gyda Arber) - another well-dressed female diplomat, maybe a bit more drably and somberly dressed than Voltimand.

SAILOR (Ken Simon) - a working fisherman in working clothes.

Well, that's plenty, or more than plenty, sorry. I doubt that you have fencing gear (jackets, gloves, masks) but in case you do, that's needed, too (damn, but it'll be pricey to rent or buy . . .). The play moves from Spring through Summer into Autumn, and there is a progression in color, if possible, along with the time, from muted to vibrant to washed-out and desaturated.

Okay, sorry to be so long-winded. This a good start?

We will have six full runthroughs and two other work days before we open, if you want to come to any that you can and would like to. I've attached a schedule.

My own sizes are:

[uh, no damned way . . .]

best, and thank you so much in advance for the gorgeousness,

IWH

Ian W. Hill IS Hamlet in Ian W. Hill's Hamlet!

We did a photo shoot at The Brick the other night, Berit and I, trying to get some usable images for the postcard (and elsewhere) of Ian W. Hill's Hamlet. We got a few good ones of varied kinds. We'll probably use an altered closeup of me for the card, so here's one of the other images of me as Hamlet we got:




I'm going over all the line work I did last night and discovering that, of course, I've lost about 10% of all the lines I got down last night. I have four hours to get them back. Great.