DIRECTOR’S CONCEPT STATEMENT
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S HAMLET
SCOTT D. PAFUMI
HERNDON HS THEATRE
Most of us know that the original Elizabethan casts of the 17th century were all male. Women were not allowed on the stage in England until much later in history, although the concept of co-ed casting was a regular practice in Italy around the same time as Shakespeare’s life and before, through the popular traveling Commedia troupes. As religious puritans, the British considered women on stage to be a form of prostitution, and it was banned for public performances in the Globe, the Black Friars Club, the Rose, The Curtain, and other popular venues of England. To wit, Shakespearean plays are comprised mostly of male roles and characters, save the few parts found in the ingénues, strong royal ladies, and servant wenches. As a veteran theatre educator and director, I believe that I owe some meaty roles to my female students to make up for the lack of gender equality in the Bard’s time. Which brings me to the concept of casting Hamlet as female.
Hamlet as a woman poses many questions. Does this change the mental state of the character? Does it justify Hamlet’s mercurial nature? How does this affect the romantic courtship with Ophelia, or the parent-child bond with Gertrude? Would the fight scenes be staged any differently? Will the kinship to best friend Horatio be stronger, more complex? Will we as an audience mourn Hamlet’s death even more if it is a woman? Inside every play lie many great questions; these are just a few that we will endeavor to answer as we gender-bend the most classic Shakespearean character. And why not try? We live in a world where our youth is helping to define gender as a sliding scale, defying the traditional norms of yesterday’s stereotypes of masculinity versus femininity. I choose to cast the Prince of Denmark as female, and the actress will play her as such, through the mental anguish, torment, and vengeful spirit that is our historic hero of Elsinore Castle.
Our tone and time period will be the alternative rock era of the 1980’s. Through careful selections of music by The Cure, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, REM, and the like, we will find our tragic story scored in melancholy colors and darker hues of woe. Costuming will reflect this counterculture dress of the 1980’s, devoid of the neon panoramic that was seen in the mainstream culture of the time. Research of fashion will be a must, especially as we keep the play set in the dark Denmark castle of Elsinore on the seacoast. I envision a large, multi-level set that allows for a royal backdrop and pockets of secrecy where eavesdropping takes place and soliloquies are declaimed. Hamlet’s monologues will be underscored by a player troupe of tragedians who enact Hamlet’s inner thoughts through choral odes, like an ancient Greek chorus – a realized performance, if you will, of Hamlet’s struggling decisions.
The final fight scene between Laertes and Hamlet will be three bouts, as supported by the text. The characters will be fighting for honor, and unwittingly to the death. From broad sword, to rapier, to dagger, each fight will capture the epic nature of this iconic end; from large strokes of power to finite slashes of poison. We will eliminate the subplot of Fortinbras, the vengeful Prince of Norway. This story is indeed a mirror of the main plot: another son seeking revenge for his slain father, who was killed in battle at the hand of Hamlet Sr. However, we can remove the Norwegian scenes to quicken the pace of what historically can be four hours traffic on the stage. Instead, we will end our most tragic tale with Horatio’s final words, and a scenic picture of fallen heroes and villains. And thus, I hope the play’s the thing that will catch the conscience of our audience’s liking.