To be patched up and amended by cast...

Hamlet - Jimmy
Ghost – Jonno
Queen – Linda
Claudius – Jonno
Polonius - Jacob
Laertes - Simon
Ophelia - Claire
Horatio - Jack
Rosencrantz - Jethro
Guildenstern - Jox
Osrick - Jox
Francisco –
Barnardo -
Marcellus -
Messenger - Marianne
1st Gravedigger - Jethro
2nd Gravedigger – Tim
Priest - Marianne
Fortinbras – Steff/Rhys
Captain –
English Ambassador - Catherine
First Player - Marianne
MC - Alex

Layout:

Act 1:In the round.
Act 2: Three screens set up and the audience down one end on the rostra Act 3: Outside in alleyway.
Act 4: Audience set up scene in traverse with a stepladder, a carpet and a few chairs
Act 5: audience set in 4 or 5 circles of 5.

I think it was agreed that the main problem with this one was that people were not really doing anything to the other person, and we all know how the play collapses when this happens. The stakes went right down and nothing really mattered very much to most of us. As we discussed afterwards, there’s no excuse for us all to do that, despite whatever circumstances we are in – similar space, second night, etc.. – The circumstances that the text supplies are the ones that we should be concerning ourselves with. So as said - do add any bits anywhere to this semi - report that are useful to note.

Act 1 Starting in the round basically where the audience had seated themselves, we had already got off to a very ‘safe and familiar’ start – the fact that we ought to set up the space for the audience before they arrive was noted and taken care of the following night. Courtiers were arriving in droves for the court scene which was splendid. Laertes donned some sunglasses in preparation for France and Ophelia was brilliantly handed a book –' How to tell lies' – with the words of advice from Polonius and Laertes.

Act 2 Three screens were set up and immediately – with the audience on the rostra opposite – we all fell in to pros arch habits. We were trying to use the screens but mostly ended up doing this demonstratively apart from Ros and Guild who used the fact that they could easily hide from Hamlet to good advantage. The players came on with some verve and then acted out the Players speech together which only got a little confused at the end. On O vengeance one of the screens came down and did not land on any one - which was a relief.

Act 3 Outside it was cold and thankfully a few minutes in to the act Linda shouted ‘Can’t hear’ so the level was lifted for a while but slacked again after a while especially when the space between characters was lost. The space between people was lost quite a few times in this act which was a shame, especially with the play within the play. This became very confused as it was huddled together in the middle where not many of the audience could see what was happening. Hopefully we learnt a lesson there though – the play should be a least where its audience can see it. The Ophelia and Hamlet scene was played using the lamppost and trees to hide behind which gave us some good space between them, and I think a wooden doll was used a part of the remembrances, which became an obstruction for better or worse between them. Unfortunately having left at ‘lights lights ‘as a player I didn’t see the rest of the act so please please fill in! - from jox - aparently Guildenstern could not 'play upon this pipe' after watching the play within play from the window ledge because he couldn't get down - lovely!

Act 4 Having had the audience set up an interesting space for us in traverse, we all felt a little silly that we did not use it to its maximum. Having said that, this act was a rare success - to use Jethro’s words! Laertes came back into Denmark with great energy and this really helped the act. Ophelia used the props that the audience had set out for us very well in the mad scene, curling herself up in the carpet etc..

Act 5 The grouping of the audience didn’t quite work as there wasn’t enough space to differentiate between them however the gravedigger took great care of one group as he made them the grave and stuck them together with sellotape – it was a lovely moment of care from the gravedigger, and pride in his work. Ophelia was taken in to the group, put on a chair and strapped in with the sellotape. The fight .. ? ..Please continue..!