Edwin Austin Abbey, The Play Scene in Hamlet (1897)
Hi, My name is Jeff Rufo. I'm a visiting faculty fellow at the Center for Cultural Analysis, Rutgers. Prior to this appointment, I was an assistant professor of English at Trinity University in San Antonio. My research is on early modern literature and culture, with special emphasis upon drama and the history of political thought. I'm excited to write for Pixels and Pedagogy, so thanks to Claire for this opportunity!
Email me at [email protected]
Email me at [email protected]
There are a lot of good reasons to think hard, if not creatively, about how to teach Shakespeare's Hamlet--a play most experience at some point in life (I first read it in high school, in the 90s) whether they want to or not. I needn't rehearse the way in which Hamlet remains at the heart of the Western literary and cultural tradition. And yet, despite its near omnipresence in twenty-first century Anglophone cultures, the play can be challenging to teach. This is due neither to a dearth of quality material to discuss with students (regardless of level), nor a lack of pedagogical resources on Shakespeare and this particular play (see, for instance, the Folger Shakespeare Library's publications geared towards teaching). Rather, I think that teaching Hamlet is difficult because it's hard to know where precisely to dig in when facing such a treasure trove.
Leading up to the Mousetrap in Laurence Olivier's Hamlet (1948), © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
In Spring 2011, while teaching at Trinity University in San Antonio, I taught a course called "Hamlet in Performance." Collaborating with my friend and colleague Kyle Gillette (Department of Speech, Theater, and Human Communication at Trinity), we secured a pedagogical innovation grant to develop a Shakespeare course for theater and literature students. We used the funds mostly to work at research libraries and teaching institutes, preparing to teach the play through performative and historical lenses. My time was spent at the Folger in Washington, D.C., where I attended some great workshops. (I highly recommend spending at least one week there, no matter what you teach or write about.)
Course Description: "Hamlet in Performance" will give students critical and artistic approaches to considering Shakespeare in different intellectual, social, and aesthetic contexts, taking Hamlet as a point of departure. Mixing theory and practice, this class will introduce students to the overlapping ways in which literary and theatre studies challenge, inform, and feed one another. Combined with the traditional analytic approach to literary texts, with its emphasis upon close reading and critical contexts, “Hamlet in Performance” will also attend to problems of directing, acting, and adapting Hamlet. Students will be asked to weigh the thematic resonance of these performance questions in Hamlet itself, questions which must be understood as central metatheatrical components of the play’s analytic sensibility concerning “being” and “seeming.” For instance, how do production decisions and spectator perspectives influence questions of interpretation? Conversely, how do theoretical questions inform performance and production decisions? We will focus on Hamlet as a play in many ways about theatre, about staging, about issues inherent in theatre studies and performance studies, such as the nature of memory, acting as a form of ghosting, theatre as a space for political reflection, drama as embodied philosophy, and performance as “a rehearsal for death.” Through close reading, directing, performing, and by viewing the enactment of the same scenes across different media, students will get to the heart of these important questions about dramatic literature and its theatrical interpretations.
Course Description: "Hamlet in Performance" will give students critical and artistic approaches to considering Shakespeare in different intellectual, social, and aesthetic contexts, taking Hamlet as a point of departure. Mixing theory and practice, this class will introduce students to the overlapping ways in which literary and theatre studies challenge, inform, and feed one another. Combined with the traditional analytic approach to literary texts, with its emphasis upon close reading and critical contexts, “Hamlet in Performance” will also attend to problems of directing, acting, and adapting Hamlet. Students will be asked to weigh the thematic resonance of these performance questions in Hamlet itself, questions which must be understood as central metatheatrical components of the play’s analytic sensibility concerning “being” and “seeming.” For instance, how do production decisions and spectator perspectives influence questions of interpretation? Conversely, how do theoretical questions inform performance and production decisions? We will focus on Hamlet as a play in many ways about theatre, about staging, about issues inherent in theatre studies and performance studies, such as the nature of memory, acting as a form of ghosting, theatre as a space for political reflection, drama as embodied philosophy, and performance as “a rehearsal for death.” Through close reading, directing, performing, and by viewing the enactment of the same scenes across different media, students will get to the heart of these important questions about dramatic literature and its theatrical interpretations.
Daniel Maclise, The Play Scene in Hamlet (1842)
"Hamlet in Performance" was, for the most part, a success. Kyle and I learned a lot from the experiment, and would have liked another crack at it. The most significant learning took place when we had students take on projects in which small groups were asked to create adaptations of (or inspired by) the play itself. We felt that the best work was done when students focused on a single episode, piece of dialogue, theme, or question in the play. Some of the concepts that our students excavated and repurposed in their own productions were "ghosting and haunting," metatheatricality, Machiavellian rhetoric and performance, spying, and addiction.
Some of the more memorable presentations focused on an especially notable scene--the famous play within a play. In Act 3 scene 2, Hamlet hires an itinerant troupe of professional performers to stage a play known as "The Murder of Gonzago," which Hamlet later calls "The Mousetrap." Here's a synopsis of what happens in the scene:
Hamlet tells a group of actors how he wants them to perform the play that's about to begin. He'd like it to come off naturally: they shouldn't be too loud, or gesticulate too much, as bad actors often do. Instead, they should use their discretion to build up suspense with their actions. Most importantly, they shouldn't be tempted to get a cheap laugh, since the audience might miss the important parts. Throughout the scene, Hamlet gives directions as if experienced with acting. He pulls Horatio aside, and asks a favor. Horatio is asked to watch Claudius's reactions, especially when the play depicts killing of King Gonzago (in precisely the way the Ghost says he was killed). If the play does not reveal Claudius as the killer, Hamlet promises Horatio that he will admit to having seen a "damnèd ghost" rather than the honest spirit of his late father. Hamlet's play, The Mousetrap, is a game of chicken which, if he wins, will reveal--with absolute certainty--Claudius's guilt.
Some of the more memorable presentations focused on an especially notable scene--the famous play within a play. In Act 3 scene 2, Hamlet hires an itinerant troupe of professional performers to stage a play known as "The Murder of Gonzago," which Hamlet later calls "The Mousetrap." Here's a synopsis of what happens in the scene:
Hamlet tells a group of actors how he wants them to perform the play that's about to begin. He'd like it to come off naturally: they shouldn't be too loud, or gesticulate too much, as bad actors often do. Instead, they should use their discretion to build up suspense with their actions. Most importantly, they shouldn't be tempted to get a cheap laugh, since the audience might miss the important parts. Throughout the scene, Hamlet gives directions as if experienced with acting. He pulls Horatio aside, and asks a favor. Horatio is asked to watch Claudius's reactions, especially when the play depicts killing of King Gonzago (in precisely the way the Ghost says he was killed). If the play does not reveal Claudius as the killer, Hamlet promises Horatio that he will admit to having seen a "damnèd ghost" rather than the honest spirit of his late father. Hamlet's play, The Mousetrap, is a game of chicken which, if he wins, will reveal--with absolute certainty--Claudius's guilt.
Claudius rather conspicuously betraying his conscience in Laurence Olivier's Hamlet (1948), © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Before the play itself begins, there is a dumb show, which shows the following things silently: A man murders a king while he is sleeping in his garden. His loving wife, initially inconsolable over the king's death, marries the usurper, who has crowned himself king. Then, oddly, the the play itself begins, only with words this time. In the first scene, the Queen repeatedly swears to her husband (the King) that she will never remarry. Oh, sure, says the King in the play: she's faithful now, but she'll forget all her faithfulness as soon as she's in her new husband's bed, which should happen roughly about the time her old husband dies. Hamlet says the play, called "The Mouse-Trap," is a "wicked piece of work," but wouldn't bother anybody with a clean conscience. The husband/King is taking a nap when his nephew sneaks in and pours poison in his ear —exactly what Claudius did to Hamlet's father. Seeing this, Claudius gets out of his seat and rushes out of the room. As everyone but Hamlet and Horatio rushes out of the room, Hamlet gloats about this brilliant performance.
This scene seems to connect directly back to problems that can only be considered central to the play's meaning: questions of knowledge, concerning the actions and morality of others. If Hamlet is to trust his father's ghost and kill his uncle Claudius (the new King of Denmark), he must acheive absolute certainty that he is doing "the right thing," whatever that might be.
Going through the collaborative and deliberative process of generating and giving a production pitch--as opposed to"staging" a reading of the original dialogue--encouraged our students to consider the contemporary relevance (or enduring meanings) of Hamlet. Using performance in an English classroom, with its primary focus on printed texts, need not always be a staid affair. We wanted our students to experiment, to play seriously, to take risks, and even to court failure. Shakespeare is an invitation to engage, no matter how much cultural value we tend to ascribe to him. Anything that we as teachers can do to break down the barriers that keep him apart from us (above us?) will help the uninitiated come to understand and appreciate "him." Although focusing on Shakespeare's language will always be a fruitful approach, younger students may benefit from focusing more on the forest than the trees.
This scene seems to connect directly back to problems that can only be considered central to the play's meaning: questions of knowledge, concerning the actions and morality of others. If Hamlet is to trust his father's ghost and kill his uncle Claudius (the new King of Denmark), he must acheive absolute certainty that he is doing "the right thing," whatever that might be.
Going through the collaborative and deliberative process of generating and giving a production pitch--as opposed to"staging" a reading of the original dialogue--encouraged our students to consider the contemporary relevance (or enduring meanings) of Hamlet. Using performance in an English classroom, with its primary focus on printed texts, need not always be a staid affair. We wanted our students to experiment, to play seriously, to take risks, and even to court failure. Shakespeare is an invitation to engage, no matter how much cultural value we tend to ascribe to him. Anything that we as teachers can do to break down the barriers that keep him apart from us (above us?) will help the uninitiated come to understand and appreciate "him." Although focusing on Shakespeare's language will always be a fruitful approach, younger students may benefit from focusing more on the forest than the trees.
Dumb show prefacing "The Mousetrap" in a 2009 performance of Hamlet at the University of Calgary, directed by Patrick Finn. Photo by Michael Sturk.
Adaptation / Production Pitch assignment:
General description: The “production pitch” midterm assignment will count for 15 % of your final grade and is to be done in groups of 5. It will consist of suggesting a possible production of Hamlet pitched to a “board of directors” or group of programming coordinators for some sort of theater, performance space, or cultural institution. For the purpose of this assignment, these roles will be played by members of the class during your pitch. You will choose as a group what theater, performance space, or cultural institution we are (e.g., The Foxwoods Theater on Broadway? The rebuilt Globe in London? The Off-Center in Austin? The ruins of an old castle in Denmark or old pyramid in Cairo? An elementary school somewhere in rural Oklahoma?). This decision should deeply inform your interpretation and vision, and should include specific research into the venue in question.
Please note: the “pitch” must directly involve and feature all group members. It must last between 15 and 20 minutes (make sure to rehearse and time this, as all presentations will be cut off after the time limit). Attendance is required at both sessions, because you will serve on the “board of directors” during the other pitches and will be expected to ask follow-up questions at the end of each presentation.
Structure: Here is one way in which you might wish to structure your group’s production pitch. Begin by having one member of the group introduce the concept and outline the major elements. Then, after the broad vision has been sketched out, hand off to the next member of the group. Each member might then address a specific aspect of your vision as outlined below in the 4 major categories, or you might choose to divide the visual aspect among group members and then look at the other categories together. It might be helpful to have a short scene performed or read aloud if you feel this can elucidate some aspect of your approach. Finally, give some “concluding remarks” (like the conclusion of an academic essay or closing remarks in a trial) in which you address the significance of your work (and the other points mentioned in the “assessment” category below). In both your introduction and concluding remarks you should address us as the hypothetical board and explain why our theater in particular needs this production. Remember: the goal is to make us want your production in our next season.
General description: The “production pitch” midterm assignment will count for 15 % of your final grade and is to be done in groups of 5. It will consist of suggesting a possible production of Hamlet pitched to a “board of directors” or group of programming coordinators for some sort of theater, performance space, or cultural institution. For the purpose of this assignment, these roles will be played by members of the class during your pitch. You will choose as a group what theater, performance space, or cultural institution we are (e.g., The Foxwoods Theater on Broadway? The rebuilt Globe in London? The Off-Center in Austin? The ruins of an old castle in Denmark or old pyramid in Cairo? An elementary school somewhere in rural Oklahoma?). This decision should deeply inform your interpretation and vision, and should include specific research into the venue in question.
Please note: the “pitch” must directly involve and feature all group members. It must last between 15 and 20 minutes (make sure to rehearse and time this, as all presentations will be cut off after the time limit). Attendance is required at both sessions, because you will serve on the “board of directors” during the other pitches and will be expected to ask follow-up questions at the end of each presentation.
Structure: Here is one way in which you might wish to structure your group’s production pitch. Begin by having one member of the group introduce the concept and outline the major elements. Then, after the broad vision has been sketched out, hand off to the next member of the group. Each member might then address a specific aspect of your vision as outlined below in the 4 major categories, or you might choose to divide the visual aspect among group members and then look at the other categories together. It might be helpful to have a short scene performed or read aloud if you feel this can elucidate some aspect of your approach. Finally, give some “concluding remarks” (like the conclusion of an academic essay or closing remarks in a trial) in which you address the significance of your work (and the other points mentioned in the “assessment” category below). In both your introduction and concluding remarks you should address us as the hypothetical board and explain why our theater in particular needs this production. Remember: the goal is to make us want your production in our next season.
Hamlet considering the purpose of "The Mousetrap" in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (1996). © Image Castle Rock Entertainment
Content: Each group is asked to present its unique “vision” of a performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet that it proposes to stage, or otherwise present. This vision should include detailed descriptions and ideas pertaining to the following aspects of production design:
Assessment: Your grade for the project will be determined based on the following four criteria, which are of equal “value”:
- Visual and aural aspects. These should include but not be limited to the choice of performance space, costuming, lighting, set design, and sound design. Your presentation should give a tangible sense of how this production will look and sound. While you can and should talk about the choices you will make, we want to see actual images -- sketches, visual research, collages, etc -- so that we can better understand your vision. Please give a sense of at least five different scenes, including one Ghost scene and the Mousetrap.
- What will you be looking for from the actors you intend to cast for the major roles? How do you see Gertrude or Laertes or Polonius, for example? What traits would describe your take? You might use either well-known stage or cinema actors or students in the class to give us a sense of how you see these parts physically, vocally, and in terms of personal affect. Attend not only to individuals but also to the chemistry between people. Describe your casting choices or approaches for at least 5 characters.
- Script. What version of the play or which text will you use? How will you deal with “cuts” and other aspects of language? Include both your base or “control” text -- First Folio? Arden? “Bad” Quarto? -- and a few ideas about specific cuts to make, if any. You could certainly choose to do a 4 ½ hour production, or even, for that matter, think really big and do a giant 48 hour production with slow motion and lots of repetition and added subplots. Remember also that sometimes thinking big means thinking small: maybe you want to do a 30 minute version appropriate for a tour of area high-schools....
- Interpretation. How do your visual, casting, and script choices, which should convey a “directorial vision” of the play in performance, relate to your interpretation of the play -- specifically, its plot, characters, themes, and meanings? Your discussion of interpretation should also relate specifically to the ideas we’ve discussed in class: textual problems and ambiguities, ideas about metatheater, ghosting, the nature of character, the history of Hamlet in performance, etc. This part should receive a few minutes in your presentation but should also and more importantly dominate the written component: 5 pages you will turn in that will summarize aspects 1-3, detail who in your group did what, and make a case for your interpretation.
Assessment: Your grade for the project will be determined based on the following four criteria, which are of equal “value”:
- Boldness of choices and clarity of your “vision.” Brave, striking choices score higher than safe ones. Your choices should reflect a strong point of view, intensive effort, and a striking aesthetic. Ask yourself, what is the goal of the production as you see it? It should be a worthy one!
- Amount of detail and rigor in your “research.” You needn’t consult outside texts and materials for this component, but we encourage all groups to explore what is available on the web and in the library. You might wish to draw inspiration from film versions, from artistic renderings of the play, from literary criticism and theater reviews, for instance. You must include references to texts we have read in class (Rosenbaum, Dawson, States, Stoppard, et. al.).
- Sophistication of interpretation. How does your vision relate to the themes and texts of the course? This includes a consistency of theme and unity of vision. Do your visual, aural, casting, and script elements unify, or at least clash in an interesting and thoughtful way?
- Relevance. Why does this production need to be done whenever and wherever you are proposing? Why does the particular theater or venue’s audience need this production of Hamlet? What is unique about your group’s talents and experiences that qualifies you to bring this vision to life?
David Tennant (starring as Hamlet in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2008 performance, directed by Gregory Doran) attends "The Mousetrap" as Patrick Stewart's Claudius watches in the background. Photo by Ellie Kurttz.
I visited with teachers at a New York City public school yesterday: the Quest to Learn Institute of Play in lower Manhattan. They teach a curriculum centered on games and game design. After witnessing some of the innovative, playful approaches to Shakespeare at this school, I'm now wondering what a "game version" of The Mousetrap scene might look like. What are the most crucial moments of dialogue, for instance, that must be adapted or otherwise absorbed into the game? Is role play or simulation the most likely scenario for Quest students, or is theatricality and performance too far removed from Common Core directives to be "useful" in the classroom, as concerning learning outcomes? Put simply, what might we expect to learn from a lesson in which students use Hamlet as the basis for a game? Adaptations don't need to be theatrical or performative in nature, as in our assignment above. Rather, they can be acts of cultural translation--ways of reconfiguring narrative material that make a text's intrinsic values more explicit (dare I say real?), and not only to our students, but to all stakeholders in academic and educational communities.
Note from Claire: Hyperion to a Satyr is a great blog to explore that has a wealth of information about Hamlet, including a series of posts (click here) all about The Mousetrap. Check it out!
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