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All characters in Hamlet deserve the spotlight

All the greatest stories exist in many iterations; especially British ones. The silver screen has seen dozens of portrayals of Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, and Doctor Who. Using recognized characters to tell new stories, or old stories in new ways, is a time-honoured English tradition. This is no exception for one of the most famous characters of all of literature: Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Fictogram guest #201).

Like all Shakespeare stories, Hamlet has been retold and reimagined many times. In some of these cases, the setting changes while the dialogue remains the same. Occasionally, the opposite happens, and the show takes place in medieval Denmark but the dialogue goes in a completely different direction. This contrast shines in 2 adaptions of Hamlet’s iconic play-within-a-play scene. One version of the play for BBC has Hamlet speaking the lines as Shakespeare wrote them while recording his parents’ reaction with a handheld video camera. The goofier retelling from the Simpsons has Krusty the Klown performing an improv show with Hamlet (Bart) telling the performers what to do by responding to audience prompts: “Somebody shout out a location…” “This palace!” “Ok, how about an occupation?” “Usurper of the thrown!”

Many minor characters in Hamlet, who are nearly neglected in the original text, have been given a new spot in the spotlight from other writers. Rozencratz and Guildenstern are Dead examines the play from the perspective of 2 mostly unimportant characters desperately trying to figure out what’s going on from the sidelines. More recently, 2018’s Ophelia told the story through the eyes of Hamlet’s lover with a feminist lens.

What’s the key to successfully re-imaginging a masterpiece? The classic advice to creatives is to pursue your own unique vision and follow your heart. Or, in the words of Polonius, “this above all, to thine own self be true”

Answers to last week's games

Monday, June 3 to Sunday, June 9.

Linxicon

The following are the shortest paths from last week:

• #112 climate -> conservation -> conserve -> spend 

• #113 freedom -> freed -> loose -> closely 

• #114 due -> owing -> using -> device 

• #115 ignore -> ignoring -> talking -> making -> maker 

• #116 oppose -> decline -> accept -> deal 

• #117 picture -> visual -> simple -> basically 

• #118 heat -> temper -> argue -> criticize

• #119 Play now!

Forgeous

Raeburn, Henry. Mrs. Richard Alexander Oswald (Louisa Johnston, ?born about 1760, died 1797). 1794, oil paint on canvas, 123.2 cm x 103.8 cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The Met, metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437361.

Play Forgeous for June 10.