Hamlet--10 (the play's the thing)

I played Claudius once. For some reason when I was acting in high school (and briefly/ill-advisedly in college), I always was cast as the king. If there was no king, I was cast as the dad. I played Claudius in Hamlet, Theseus in Midsummer, Mr. Magoo in Rebel Without and Cause, the dad in Cheaper by the Dozen, and I don't know, a bunch of other dads and kings. I also was cast as Oberon in a college production of Midsummer.

This is how the first rehearsal went:
Director: okay, uh--what was your name?--Eric, now, you're going to do Oberon like Elvis.
Me: What?
Director: Well, we're doing this thing where the fairy land is like Hollywood.
Me: Who's Titania supposed to be?
Director: Madonna.

I quit that night. I realize it was poor form, but, um. Elvis? Madonna?

I think that the reason I was always either the king or the dad was because I had facial hair pretty early and once I got it it was my pride and joy. I've probably only shaved it a couple of times since. Ah, beard.

I talk about this here for two reasons. First, the end of Act Two through Act Three is all about acting/playing. Hamlet puts the entire integrity of his revenge in the hands of an acting troupe. He acts crazy. Blah blah blah, I've already talked about it. Second, the way I've done this play is so exhausting. It's actually a relief to think back at stuff that is just humiliating and isn't so demanding. I played Claudius at sixteen. Sort of.

They should warn kids about what will happen if they grow facial hair at a really young age. I mean, the stuff besides being totally badass.

To be or not to be. The Mousetrap. The closet scene with Hamlet and Gertrude. The Oedipal stuff just isn't there, I'll say that. But, for the sake of my own sanity, I'm not going too deeply into this stuff.

Let me say that the closet scene is not Gertrude's biggest scene. I know it's big, yes, but Hamlet runs all over her. Her big scene is describing Ophelia's death, to me. That's the best.

Happy Valentine's Day!