The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.2022 Friday, 19 November 1999.
[1] From: Judith Matthews Craig <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1999 10:21:43 -0600
Subj: Re: SHK 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
[2] From: Helen Ostovich <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1999 11:56:46 -0500 (EST)
Subj: Re: SHK 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
[3] From: Larry Weiss <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1999 13:15:49 -0500
Subj: Re: SHK 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
[4] From: Jim Helsinger <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1999 00:15:27 EST
Subj: Re: SHK 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Judith Matthews Craig <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1999 10:21:43 -0600
Subject: 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
Comment: Re: SHK 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
<Or 'My Private Idaho' as history play?>
What is REALLY scary is the above "his-story"--is--at least it is not
mine.
Threads of Henry V in Idaho are as hard to come by as the Hogg daughters
in the annals of Texas history-Ima Hogg, Ura Hogg, and-I forget. And
the Hogg daughters are legitimate historical facts.
Maybe we should consult the actual garment industry in NYC for
forthcoming details of the never-merge--or Pokemon himself.
Judy Craig
[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Helen Ostovich <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1999 11:56:46 -0500 (EST)
Subject: 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
Comment: Re: SHK 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
Hamlet the Musical is reminding me of Simon Brett's satiric dream of
staging Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer as the musical Lumpkin!. What
is it that we think we may gain by translating a work of art from one
medium into another? I think a singing Hamlet would be harder to
comprehend than a talking one, though perhaps a singing Gertrude might
be more meaningful to the SHAKSPER-ers who trashed her earlier. I've
always found Gertrude psychologically accessible as a woman whom death
has pushed into denial, one of the early stages of grief. She doesn't
live long enough to get past it.
Helen
[3]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Larry Weiss <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Wednesday, 17 Nov 1999 13:15:49 -0500
Subject: 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
Comment: Re: SHK 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
Didn't Verdi try to adapt Hamlet for opera and give up in utter
frustration?
There is a story about Donald Wolfert, the early 20th Century
actor-manager (the pattern for Sir in "The Dresser"), who was having a
dram in his club and was engaged in conversation by a leading ballet
dancer. The ballet guy told Wolfert that he might be interested in
attending a forthcoming performance of the Hamlet ballet, in which he
(ballet guy) was going to have the lead. Wolfert in horror asked, "you
mean you are going to DANCE Hamlet?" The response was "Why not, Donald,
you've been singing him for years."
[4]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jim Helsinger <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 18 Nov 1999 00:15:27 EST
Subject: 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
Comment: Re: SHK 10.2008 Re: Something Scary
Although my first thought at any play-"The Musical!" is usually a
mixture of horror and laughter, I must say that I saw a play, I believe
called, "Hamlet, The Musical" in Atlanta at the Theatrical Outfit about
ten years ago and it was great. I was actually on tour with the Alabama
Shakespeare Festival doing Hamlet at the time, and we went simply for
the curiosity. We all had a great time! What a surprise.
Also, American Stage in St. Petersburg Florida usually stages a musical
version of a Shakespeare play outdoors each Spring. It usually gets
great reviews and huge attendance. I saw their version of Macbeth
several years ago and, yes, I loved it. I admit that I only went
because a close friend of mine was going and as we drove over we laughed
over the possible songs of "Out, Out Damned Spot" and "Double, Double."
In less than five minutes I was hooked. It was very well done.
The musical can be a very powerful form of both drama and comedy. I say
this as someone who rarely, if ever, attends them and has not produced
or acted in one for many, many years. I certainly cannot vouch for
"Hamlet, The Musical" now playing in Prague, but who knows? Maybe it's
great.
Jim Helsinger
Artistic Director
Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival
www.shakespearefest.org
