Presently...

Let’s face it, Shakespeare’s language can be difficult. Some of Shakey’s words have changed meanings, some are no longer in use at all.

It’s not just that Shakespeare had the formal you and the informal thou (rather like the French still have vous and tu, where we democratic Brits have got rid of all that).  There are other more subtle changes as well. For example, the word presently, as in “Do it presently”, now sounds like a rather old-fashioned way of saying “Do it later”. In Shakespeare’s time, though, it meant “do it now, immediately”, and is frequently used by Shakespeare to convey a sense of great urgency.

The word “terrific” meant not “jolly good” but terrifying. “Wonderful” is another interesting one. At one point in the play a character asks Hamlet “What news?” and he replies “Oh, wonderful”. To our ears that sounds rather like a sarcastic rejoinder meaning “nothing worth talking about” but in Shakespeare’s time it meant “inspiring wonder or awe” – so something very shocking. As for “awesome” – well, we’ve all probably overused the word awesome at one time or another. Language changes not so much from generation to generation but from school-year to school-year, so it’s amazing (astonishing, surprising, awesome) that Shakespeare is as understandable as it is. But there is no denying that some of it is difficult or obscure.

We’ve cut most of the more obscure writing.  The full text of the play if acted runs to about four and a half hours anyway, so we had to cut fairly drastically. Another feature of Shakespeare’s writing is repetition – the Elizabethan stage had no scenery (rather as we don’t) so pictures were created by painting with words. We’ve kept some of this – we aren’t using scenery either - but we have cut quite a lot of it. So our version runs for about half that time. We are proud that, although we have cut some text, we have kept all the characters (especially when there are only seven actors!).  It was certainly a challenge as to what to cut.  We are very aware that Shakespeare-buffs and Hamlet-aficionados may have difficulties with what we have left out (or kept in!) - we shall let you, our audience, be the judge.  We look forward to hearing your opinion at the bar afterwards - and if we had done the full 4 and a half hour version, there would be no time for post-show drinking!  not that that was a consideration.....