The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.2141  Monday, 28 October 2002

From:           Bill Arnold <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Saturday, 26 Oct 2002 04:23:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: 13.2109 Re: How about "Hamlet! The Musical"
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.2109 Re: How about "Hamlet! The Musical"

D. Bloom writes,

>Actually, I've just finished a musical version of Hamlet. It's called
>*Less than Kind* and will be opening as soon as I get sufficient >backing(contributions welcome). I've had to make a few minor >adaptations of Shakespeare's original text, of course. Hamlet survives >the sword fight and is to marry Ophelia (who didn't die but merely >pretended in order to test the sincerity of Hamlet's love). Claudius is >killed by Laertes when the former, realizing that his plot has failed, >attempts to stab Hamlet
>in the back. Polonius, who was also only pretending to be dead, will
>marry the widowed Queen Mother. I know the purists will condemn these
>changes but the requirements of musical theatre in the era of Lloyd
>Webber make them necessary.
>
>A number of the songs are, I believe, sure fire hits. "Get Thee to a
>Nunnery" is a lilting waltz to which not only Hamlet and Ophelia, but
>Claudius and Polonius dance. "Convocation of Worms" has a catchy rock
>back-beat. "Rogue and Peasant Slave" is done as rap. Besides Hamlet's
>numbers, Ophelia has the lyrical "Noble Mind," Gertrude the haunting
>"Dead Men's Finger's," Polonius the sidesplitting "A Foolish Figure,"
>and Laertes the serio-comic "Chaste Treasure." Aside from his duet with
>the lead on "Convocation," Claudius sings the toe-tapping  "So Much for
>Him" and his agonized "My Words Fly Up."
>
>What I'm proudest of, though, are the lavish production numbers: >"Murder Most Foul" with a softshoe duet of Hamlet and Ghost joined by >the guards and Horatio; "Miching Mallecho" with tap, jazz and ballet; >and the grand finale, "Purposes Mistook."
>
>I confidently expect this show to make me a millionaire as soon as I >get it staged.

D. Bloom is OFF da Lily, as surely ye jest/joust, Sir!

Bill Arnold
 http://www.cwru.edu/affil/edis/scholars/arnold.htm

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