The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 16.1356  Monday, 22 August 2005

From: 		Brad Berens <
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Date: 		Friday, 19 Aug 2005 06:17:18 -0700
Subject: 16.1346 Old Fat Hamlet?
Comment: 	Re: SHK 16.1346 Old Fat Hamlet?

Hi everybody,

Since the magic of theater allows us to believe that boys are women, 
white men are moors, peasants are kings and humans are fairies, I see no 
reason to doubt that early modern audiences could accept a 37 year old 
man who weighed in a 235 pounds as a young prince.  Just look at 
Olivier's "Hamlet," where the prince is decades older than Gertrude, but 
you probably won't notice unless somebody tells you, as I just did.

Question: Has anything replaced G.C.D. Odell's "Shakespeare from 
Betterton to Irving" as a guide to what was going on from the 
restoration to the early part of the 20th century?  I adore Michael 
Dobson's "The Making of the National Poet," but it's hardly that sort of 
reference.

Best,
Brad Berens

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