HAMLET / DUST BOWL DANCE

CAST
Hamlet
Gertrude
Claudius
+ 8-10 chorus/dancers

The chorus can double up at points to be secondary characters, such as

the ghost of Hamlets father, etc. Depending on what scenes we decide to
depict.

DESIGN
Minimalist. If the actors + dancers can wear all black, then we can pick a
few choice props (crown, gun, etc.) and colour them brightly to
emphasise their symbolic importance.

STRUCTURE
[The ellipses indicate gaps where there is instrumental music one
ellipsis equals one bar of music.]
If possible, it might be a good idea to intersperse the verses with quotes
from the play spoken by the actors. We could use certain lines and have
them spoken during the instrumental music in between, or edit the music
however breaking up the music with silence might be awkward to the
ear. Hence, I would recommend speaking over the instrumental gaps.
The young man stands on the edge Hamlet already on stage, at the
of his porch edge of the stage. Entry of a funeral
The days were short and the father march. Body laid down. Hamlet
was gone stands at head of his fathers body.
There was no one in the town and Chorus and Gertude and Claudius
no one in the field stand around, like a funeral. Hamlet
This dusty barren land had given closes his fathers eyes.
all it could yield
Fathers body sits up and points at
Claudius.
I've been kicked off my land at the
age of sixteen
And I have no idea where else my
heart could have been
I placed all my trust at the foot of
this hill
And now I am sure my heart can
never be still
So collect your courage and collect
your horse
And pray you never feel this same
kind of remorse.
Seal my heart and break my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now
nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my
time
He appears to instruct them. The
Well you are my accuser, now look
in my face
Your oppression reeks of your
greed and disgrace
So one man has and another has
not
How can you love what it is you
have got
When you took it all from the weak
hands of the poor?
Liars and thieves you know not
what is in store
There will come a time I will look
in your eye
You will pray to the God that
you've always denied
Hamlet reacts in shock, begins to
move towards Claudius but is
restrained by chorus who instead
pile him with books. Hamlet
buckles under the weight of so
many books and spills them, falls to
the ground. He begins to arrange
them into a small shrine. Perhaps in
a circle around himself.
Rises up from the circle and steps
out to see Claudius exchange rings
with Gertrude or drink from the
same cup/ drink with arms
entwined.
Hamlet stands facing the audience
with chorus behind, they do a series
of choreographed movements to the
chorus, signaling his resolve to
exact revenge.
chorus take their places.
Hamlet and chorus enact the
murder of his father as a play while
Claudius and Gertrude watch.
Claudius gets up and leaves in
hurry. Chorus stalls Hamlet, when
he breaks through to see where
Claudius has gone he finds him
praying.
Chorus presents him with a gun. He
raises to shoot.
Then I'll go out back and I'll get my
gun
I'll say, "You haven't met me, I am
the only son"
Hamlet puts gun down, cant do it.
Seal my heart and break my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now
nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my
time
Claudius prepares poisoned chalice
Seal my heart and break my pride
I've nowhere to stand and now
nowhere to hide
Align my heart, my body, my mind
To face what I've done and do my
time
Choreographed fight ensues, with
Well, yes sir, yes sir, yes, it was me
I know what I've done, 'cause I
know what I've seen
I went out back and I got my gun
I said, "You haven't met me, I am
the only son"
Choreographed movements, but
chorus divides into two sides and
forcibly begins to pull at Hamlet,
like a tug of war.
for Hamlet.
Claudius presents it amidst other
glasses but Gertrude picks up the
poisoned glass, drinks, keels over
and dies. Hamlet watches in horror,
rushes to his mother and mourns
her dead body. Gets up to kill
Claudius but chorus leaps in.
Hamlet shooting chorus members
in wild terror. Shoots Claudius last
and collapses in exhaustion.
Hamlet gets up, visibly shaken.
Surveys the bodies laid out around
him. Picks up his gun from the
floor slowly, turns it to point at
himself.
END.