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Regarding Claudius
Apr. 18th, 2007 08:04 amTonight, the first "full cast" reading of Ian W. Hill's Hamlet (we're actually short a few people, but close enough). I am nervous and excited.
After this, I'm gone for a week before continuing with rehearsals, but I'm sure (I hope) I'll be doing plenty of character work with the actors by email.
Inside the cut below is a long email exchange between Jerry Marsini (Claudius) and myself regarding his character's motives and actions, which necessarily winds up ranging widely over many other aspects of this production. I still have mixed feelings about using LJ Cuts, but when text gets this long, I get more self-conscious about shoving it onto peoples' Friends lists.
Now . . . as has been mentioned in passing here before, I've cut from this production all definite evidence that Claudius actually killed Hamlet's father. There is the possibility, but only that, a possibility.
Still, fine to be ambiguous with the audience, but Jerry and I have to know for sure (I think, oddly perhaps, of George Romero and John Amplas, for Romero's film Martin, having to decide for themselves if the title character was actually a vampire or just an insane young man who believes he's a vampire). In these emails we make the decision -- in passing, really -- as Jerry asks for direction on Claudius and suggests a number of options. Since I still want it to be ambiguous for everyone else, I've taken out the parts where our decision is clear.
( Regarding Claudius )
After this, I'm gone for a week before continuing with rehearsals, but I'm sure (I hope) I'll be doing plenty of character work with the actors by email.
Inside the cut below is a long email exchange between Jerry Marsini (Claudius) and myself regarding his character's motives and actions, which necessarily winds up ranging widely over many other aspects of this production. I still have mixed feelings about using LJ Cuts, but when text gets this long, I get more self-conscious about shoving it onto peoples' Friends lists.
Now . . . as has been mentioned in passing here before, I've cut from this production all definite evidence that Claudius actually killed Hamlet's father. There is the possibility, but only that, a possibility.
Still, fine to be ambiguous with the audience, but Jerry and I have to know for sure (I think, oddly perhaps, of George Romero and John Amplas, for Romero's film Martin, having to decide for themselves if the title character was actually a vampire or just an insane young man who believes he's a vampire). In these emails we make the decision -- in passing, really -- as Jerry asks for direction on Claudius and suggests a number of options. Since I still want it to be ambiguous for everyone else, I've taken out the parts where our decision is clear.
( Regarding Claudius )
