Hamlet: a 1601 experience

By dylan ehrenburg, Student

how shakespeare may have staged hamlet in 1601

An essay hosted at LiteratureClassics.com

1. Concept

Since the time of Shakespeare, Shakespearian plays have been set on many stages, in many cities and with as much creative license as Shakespeare himself bought to his craft.

In attempting to design my own version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet I became intrigued by what thoughts, events and practicalities Shakespear himself would have faced in the actual producing of the play. Therefore I have challenged myself not to be my own creator of a new Shakespearian experience but rather a re-creator of the original Shakespearian production.

In other words the following is an attempt to recreate in 2001 the Shakespeare theatrical experience of 1601. My challenge is to take actors of today and cast them as historical actors of yesterday playing characters of Hamlet. As well, to recreate all the elements of setting, sound effects, lighting, costumes, props, furniture, box office and even the audience that existed at this time.

To do this successfully I will try to be as accurate to the detail and historical facts of the time. However, I will allow myself artistic licence to include people or events that will aid a modern days audience’s understanding of the Period or will add to the overall theatrical experience.

Note: Whilst I have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible I acknowledge I only have a limited knowledge of Shakespeare and the history involved. Therefore if I were too successfully present this play with the overall historical accuracy I desire I would ensure that a leading Shakespearian expert verified all my sources and the details I proposed to use. I would also seek their advise as to whether the artistic license I have taken could have probably occurred.

The following therefore provides a brief overview of:




Hamlet - A 1601 Experience.

2. Why Hamlet?

Historically Hamlet has always been one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays. It is also recognised as one of his greatest tragedies. It is the play that gave us """"To be or not to be that is the question"""".

Audiences become intimately involved in the experiences of the characters. """"No character is so evil that we cannot understand his or her motives; no one is so good that we are unable to share his or her ideals"""" ( Longman (1994)Your Notes on Hamlet pg 109)

Hamlet is a play that is also about mystery. Hamlet is about people and the audience is left to answer questions about them. For example, did Hamlet only feign madness or did he lose his mind? Was Claudius utterly evil or did he too suffer remorse for his actions? Did Gertrude genuinely love her son? If so, how could she dishonour the memory of her first husband by her hasty, incestuous marriage?

I believe mystery will continue to surround the characters in Hamlet because they are like living people and we can relate to them today even through they are """"400"""" years old. Hamlet I believe will continue to impress audiences because of its knowledge of the human condition, its humour and sadness and without doubt its beautiful poetry.


3. Setting

The year is 1601. The theatre where Hamlet – A 1601 Experience will be performed is The Globe Theatre, London (the recreation of the original Globe Theatre that seats 1700 people).


4. Theatrical Concept

Hamlet – A 1601 Experience will be an educational experience about Shakespeare, the Elizabethan actors, the Elizabethan theatre, the Elizabethan audience and of course, the play Hamlet.

This will be a holistic experience from the moment a person buys a ticket, for example:

Audience

There will be costume hire outside the theatre so you are able to hire something of the time, as the audience must be wearing the fashion of 1601
Tickets

Todays entry tickets will be replaced with traditional penny tokens to stand in the pit; a sixpence for entry to the upper levels or a penny for a cushion.

Refreshments

Only oranges will be sold using female actors who will offer their services (but not literally!)

The Audience Arrives

Upon arrival the audience will undergo a learning experience preparing them for the play. They will be invited to meet Shakespeare and other ‘player’s’ of the time. These ‘player’s’ will wander around the audience actively creating the atmosphere of 1601. For example: Shakespeare will talk to a person about his life and may even """"write’ a brief Sonnet for a beautiful member of the audience. Richard Burbage (Actor Manager for the Kings Men during Shakespear’s era) will discuss the problems and concerns of putting on Hamlet in 1601 (for example, having only three days to put on the production).

Actors will wander through the audience to provide atmosphere and details of the Globe Theatre and of the period 1601. For example, some of the audience will be actors playing butchers, farmers, politicians, wives, men etc of the time. There will also be the man who criticed Shakespeare, who will at some point stand up and read his criticisms to all. A priest will stand at the entrance and will cry """"It’s the Devils work, don’t go in"""" and other such discouragements. As well the actors in Hamlet will wander through explaining the play.

Silence will fall and then ‘the play’ Hamlet will begin. We do not know exactly how Hamlet was played then but we do know Shakespeare and Burbage in all probability played ‘the Ghost’ and ‘Hamlet respectively. I would also use actors playing ‘William Sly’ playing ‘Laertres’ and Will Kemp playing Osrick etc.

Acting at the Globe was radically different from viewing modern Shakespeare on screen. The plays were staged in the afternoons, using the light of day, and the audience surrounded the stage on all sides. No scenery was used, except for occasional emblematic devices like a throne or a bed. It was almost impossible not to see the other half of the audience standing behind the players. Consequently much of the staging was metatheatrical, conceding the illusory nature of the game of playing, and making little pretense to stage realism.

I will seek to stage Hamlet using the simple stage settings of the time.

The actors in the audience (i.e the butcher’s, farmers etc) will rise up and yell loudly as they did in 1601. At times they will pelt the stage when moments in """"Hamlet’ are weak or they will cheer and shout with enthusiasm when Hamlet plays """"it well’. The ‘real’ audience will experience the chaos and madness that often was the audience of Shakespeare’s time.

Costumes

As with all of Shakespeare’s plays costumes would be the ‘modern’ dress of the time. Rich costumes made of velvet, gold lace and other fine materials would be used. Masks would be designed for characters such as the men playing female roles.

Sound Effects Music

Only voices that project would be heard and also a small band having a trumpet drum flute viol and a lute to help create the atmosphere. A canon call will announce that the performance will begin shortly.

Lighting
This play would be presented only as a matinee as no lights will be used.