Chop Bard

Hamlet 2.2 part 1 – R & G have been sent for to spy on H for C & G, but P thinks he already knows why H is mad. V & C return with good news from the King of N, and P tries to board H. And that’s just in the first part.

Hamlet 2.1 – Reynaldo (who’s Reynaldo?) is sent to Paris by Polonius to spy on Laertes, while Ophelia is having more boy trouble. It’s rough growing up in Denmark. Love is denied by The Pulpit courtesy of http://music.mevio.com

Hamlet 1.4-5 - Time for Hamlet to meet the ghost... and his world is about to change... and yes, there's something rotten in Denmark.

Hamlet 1.3 – Ophelia gets a double dose of advice, from her Brother and her father; both drumming to the same tune- stay away from Hamlet. What’s a girl to do…? Run Runaway by Great Big Sea courtesy of http://music.mevio.com

Hamlet 1.2 - Come meet the new King, his sometime sister-wife, and his chief-courtier-cousin-son, Hamlet.

Hamlet 1.1 - we begin at midnight, in the cold… and already there is trouble in the air.

We begin our series on Hamlet by letting go of some of the baggage this poor play has had to carry around, while we shed some light on the myth of Hamlet’s mommy issues. Shakespeare Pie by The FuMP, courtesy of http://music.mevio.com

Its drink and dagger time in Verona as we end the play with act 5 scene 3. Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished- hey, we get one more sword fight! Bring it on by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, courtesy of http://music.mevio.com

The wedding cheer becomes a sad burial feast, as we close out act 4, and jump into act 5-which is full of poison and wayward letters. Not even William Kempe (? - 1603) could turn this around.

We follow Juliet into Act 4, scene 1 though 3. If the Friar can’t help her find a way out, at least she has a knife. Still no sword fights… but there is a potion.

The final scene in act III is chock full of sorrow and obstacles. The kids part ways, and Juliet is given an ultimatum... Take a bite anyway- it's good for you!

What has become of Romeo? We’ll find out as we poke around in act III scene 3, and take a peek into III.4 to see what the Capulet’s are up too. Is it me, or is there a lot of whining in here?

Happy halloween, from Chop bard!

Act III.2 gives us Juliet, as she impatiently awaits the arrival of her untried husband- is it just me or did it suddenly get a lot hotter in here? Quick, somebody call the nurse! Some of the music provided in this show comes from http://music.mevio.com

We take a brief intermission from the tragedy of Romeo & Juliet and talk about Orange-girls, the authorship question and... intermission. Some of the music provided in this show comes from http://music.mevio.com

It’s act III, and everything is about to change. Spoiler alert: not everyone will make it out alive. Some of the music provided in this show, comes from http://music.mevio.com

We’re wrapping up act II, with scenes 4, 5, and 6: We get a little more Mercutio, a dash of salty nurse, all topped off by a secret marriage!

Act II.3 introduces us to Friar Laurence - Romeo is in good hands now - and we’ll hear his wise old advice. Also, have a look at www.publictheater.org for some free Shakespeare in the park.

Safely hidden by the night we sneak into Act II. 2… the long awaited balcony scene! Did I say safely? There be dangerous water ahead.

We stagger into Act 2 scene one, as Romeo tries to avoid his mischievous friends, setting Mercutio in rare form. And I review McCarter Theatre’s production of Twelfth Night.