Hamlet - down on the farm

Hamlet - down on the farm

A quick review and some funky pics
by Norah Dooley

Well, they said it couldn't be done...but what did they know? Because, by gum - they did it. What did they do? As if doing a Shakespeare play from start to finish in two weeks isn't crazy enough? Why, they played the most serious comedy and tragical mirth of Hamlet and set it on a farm. Elsinore Farm to be exact. Noah Dwason, Gibson LaRoche and Caleb Chase were the co-directors who set the stage for the players in pig-noses and furry tails ( Ham-let, aka a friend of Winnie ThePooh?) and set in motion a slew of many new-to-acting under 12 year old recruits. And they did it in a heat wave. And with other "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" besides. And they did it all in less than usual 2 weeks, too.

 Maureen Blasco  ( a founding-mother) was the production factotum,( do-it-all) for the 10th year running ! She realized the set design and built props with the players and all were fabulous. I really loved the visuals of the "play within a play". The other founding-mother, Beth Gospadarek worked her conjuring magic and produced all the other parts that are required, including, T-shirts, spot light an, in her Tenth Program, a new Shakespeare quiz which stumped me! Kathy Morris, (- a founding aunt? ) along with Patti Stanko represented  the Phinehas S Newton Libarry  providing moral and physical support as always.

Alissa Allen made the charming costumes that allowed freedom of movement and were a feast for the eyes.As for this viewer, one of the best parts was Caleb Chase's inter-scene banjo playing persona - he looked on, straw hat, rocking chair and all and commented on the action too, by plucking out melancholy and witty riffs on his banjo. Thankfully, the comic setting and sleekly edited script brought some of the plot points to astonishing clarity as it was hard to hear in the 110º F town hall with all the fans blowing.  And Grace Dufour discharged her part as Hamlet with vim and verve. Marni Anair as Orphelia, an ethereal swan was moving. Polinius was energetic and the Grave Diggers ( doubling and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) revealed comedy and hidden menance with equal ease.

The production, as always took a village to raise and as soon as someone sends digitized notes this lazy typist will enter all the names here. But a huge shout out to two entities in town is easy enough to type - thanks to the Royalston Cultural Council and The Friends of Phinehas S. Newton Library.

Meanwhile, please enjoy these poor photos and one of my favorite summaries of the play:


Green Eggs and Hamlet
anon with a tip o' the hat to Dr. Seuess



I ask to be or not to be.

That is the question I ask of me.


This sullied life, it makes me shudder.

My uncle's married my dear sweet mother.


Would I, could I take me life?

Could I, should I end this strife?


Should I jump out of a plane?

Or throw myself before a train?


Should I from a cliff just leap?

Could I put myself to sleep?


Shoot myself or take some poison?

Maybe try self immolation?


To shudder off this mortal coil,

I could stab myself with a fencing foil.


Slash my wrists while in the bath?

Would it end my angst and wrath?


To sleep, to dream, now there's the rub.

I could drop a toaster in my tub.


Would all be glad if I were dead?

Could I perhaps kill them instead?



This line of thought takes consideration-

Tho' just a prince, I'm king of procrastination.