So last month the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company produced Hamlet for the 4th time. And it was definitely the best – the first time I’ve ever really ‘gotten’ Hamlet. Brent Vimtrup’s performance really clarified it for me.
And this month, Cincy Shakes is producing the companion piece, Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Hysterical. Wildly funny. Amazing performances by Justin McCombs and Billy Chace, respectively. Totally whacked out. I just knew it was going to be crazy, and enjoyed it start to finish.
My friend Kathleen, on the other hand, never got what was going on – the whole existential philosophy thing, the coin toss – she, who is pretty whacky herself, was confused. Near the end, she figured out that it was a lot like Waiting for Godot. And got home, to wiki it, saw the mention of Waiting, and that it had originally been a Fringe piece in Edinburgh – and then understood! She’s had one of her pieces performed at the Fringe here, and it all became clear.
It is incredible. My advice, fuggedaboutit making sense. Just enter into the madness and all will be well!