---

We don't seem to have that problem in Britain. Maybe it's due to cultural heritage, but schools seem to be pretty much given free reign over Shakespeare's works. We could choose what we wanted to study from his entire works - I opted for Othello and Twelfth Night, one of each. This was state education, too, so no premium for the small classes. :P But yea, a hell of a lot of British resource is invested in Shakespeare. Admittedly, a couple of his tragedies get a lot more "airtime" than the rest of his works, but I genuinely think that's because we can relate to them more in this modern age. Tickets for Hamlet by the RSC (over a month's worth of performances) sold out in 3 hours, so... yea, not sure what I'm getting at here. But there just doesn't seem to be an imbalance.

---

Well, also consider that the recent production of Hamlet starred the Tenth Doctor and Captain Jean Luc Picard. Hamlet makes me twitch in about the same way that Great Expectations makes me twitch, but I'd buy tickets to see it with those guys starring.

-------
Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

---

To oversimplify Hamlet is a great injustice to its author, it is a tale of revenge but that is just the machine. It allows the protagonist implied unlimited character, as it must be assumed he was that he is past his prime and subjected to the great changes that obviously come through an individual after a man of such ability and power is forced into a corner of a perverse reality and tragic circumstance, and yet induces on himself an active mindset to defeat the pen that bore him. Hamlet is precisely interesting because it's protagonist realizes he is in a play, calls his playwright out on it, and attempts to take control by creating a play within a play to both succeed in his own will and surpass his author.

---

Which doesn't change the fact that most of the tickets purchased for the current RSC run of Hamlet are likely related to the casting of David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. Or that I felt, many times while studying the play, a nearly irrepressable urge to slap Hamlet silly.

-------
Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

---

I've never had the urge to slap Hamlet. Why do you feel he needs to be slapped?

---

I don't know, something about him rubbed me the wrong way. Kind of the same with Harry Potter. I have nothing against either Hamlet the play or the Harry Potter series, but their main characters kind of really made me want to shake them and say "STFU" many times throughout. I'd have to read the play again to give you a better answer than that, which I really don't want to do. Maybe I'll watch it--after all, it was never meant to be read.

-------
Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

---

Quote: from medjai at 8:23 am on Dec. 10, 2008

---

To oversimplify Hamlet is a great injustice to its author, it is a tale of revenge but that is just the machine. It allows the protagonist implied unlimited character, as it must be assumed he was that he is past his prime and subjected to the great changes that obviously come through an individual after a man of such ability and power is forced into a corner of a perverse reality and tragic circumstance, and yet induces on himself an active mindset to defeat the pen that bore him. Hamlet is precisely interesting because it's protagonist realizes he is in a play, calls his playwright out on it, and attempts to take control by creating a play within a play to both succeed in his own will and surpass his author.

---

Which doesn't change the fact that most of the tickets purchased for the current RSC run of Hamlet are likely related to the casting of David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. Or that I felt, many times while studying the play, a nearly irrepressable urge to slap Hamlet silly.

---

I wouldn't go so far as to say most of them. RSC productions usually sell out. Though yea, I'd be inclined to purchase tickets to see Tennant and Stewart over any other current RSC production, that's not to say that I would go to the theatre purely to see them.

-------
When they leave me, they're all smiles.
When they leave you, they're in tears.

---

Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 3:27 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from medjai at 8:23 am on Dec. 10, 2008

---

To oversimplify Hamlet is a great injustice to its author, it is a tale of revenge but that is just the machine. It allows the protagonist implied unlimited character, as it must be assumed he was that he is past his prime and subjected to the great changes that obviously come through an individual after a man of such ability and power is forced into a corner of a perverse reality and tragic circumstance, and yet induces on himself an active mindset to defeat the pen that bore him. Hamlet is precisely interesting because it's protagonist realizes he is in a play, calls his playwright out on it, and attempts to take control by creating a play within a play to both succeed in his own will and surpass his author.

---

 

 Which doesn't change the fact that most of the tickets purchased for the current RSC run of Hamlet are likely related to the casting of David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. Or that I felt, many times while studying the play, a nearly irrepressable urge to slap Hamlet silly.

---

I wouldn't go so far as to say most of them. RSC productions usually sell out. Though yea, I'd be inclined to purchase tickets to see Tennant and Stewart over any other current RSC production, that's not to say that I would go to the theatre purely to see them.

---

You wouldn't; that doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of people who would.

I don't think that the selling out is solely because of them, but I do think that it's as much a mistake to say that it's solely because Hamlet is such a great play.

-------
Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

---

Quote: from allsmiles at 12:26 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 3:27 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from medjai at 8:23 am on Dec. 10, 2008

---

To oversimplify Hamlet is a great injustice to its author, it is a tale of revenge but that is just the machine. It allows the protagonist implied unlimited character, as it must be assumed he was that he is past his prime and subjected to the great changes that obviously come through an individual after a man of such ability and power is forced into a corner of a perverse reality and tragic circumstance, and yet induces on himself an active mindset to defeat the pen that bore him. Hamlet is precisely interesting because it's protagonist realizes he is in a play, calls his playwright out on it, and attempts to take control by creating a play within a play to both succeed in his own will and surpass his author.

---

   

Which doesn't change the fact that most of the tickets purchased for the current RSC run of Hamlet are likely related to the casting of David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. Or that I felt, many times while studying the play, a nearly irrepressable urge to slap Hamlet silly.

---

I wouldn't go so far as to say most of them. RSC productions usually sell out. Though yea, I'd be inclined to purchase tickets to see Tennant and Stewart over any other current RSC production, that's not to say that I would go to the theatre purely to see them.

---

 

You wouldn't; that doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of people who would.  

I don't think that the selling out is solely because of them, but I do think that it's as much a mistake to say that it's solely because Hamlet is such a great play.

---

No, you're right, it's not because Hamlet is a great play that it is selling out. Mainly, I would suggest it's because of David Tennant. My evidence is this: he had a back injury that stopped him from performing on Monday night. Many people walked out/demanded a refund because of this.

It's just a shame I couldn't go - I love Patrick Stewart, I've grown up watching him (coincidentially he's the Chancellor of my University)...and David Tennant is quite a hottie, but I'm not that shallow....honest  

Post edited at 10:09 am on Dec. 10, 2008 by yellowsapphire

---

Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 5:43 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from allsmiles at 12:26 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 3:27 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from medjai at 8:23 am on Dec. 10, 2008

---

To oversimplify Hamlet is a great injustice to its author, it is a tale of revenge but that is just the machine. It allows the protagonist implied unlimited character, as it must be assumed he was that he is past his prime and subjected to the great changes that obviously come through an individual after a man of such ability and power is forced into a corner of a perverse reality and tragic circumstance, and yet induces on himself an active mindset to defeat the pen that bore him. Hamlet is precisely interesting because it's protagonist realizes he is in a play, calls his playwright out on it, and attempts to take control by creating a play within a play to both succeed in his own will and surpass his author.

---

  Which doesn't change the fact that most of the tickets purchased for the current RSC run of Hamlet are likely related to the casting of David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. Or that I felt, many times while studying the play, a nearly irrepressable urge to slap Hamlet silly.

---

 

 I wouldn't go so far as to say most of them. RSC productions usually sell out. Though yea, I'd be inclined to purchase tickets to see Tennant and Stewart over any other current RSC production, that's not to say that I would go to the theatre purely to see them.

---

You wouldn't; that doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of people who would.

I don't think that the selling out is solely because of them, but I do think that it's as much a mistake to say that it's solely because Hamlet is such a great play.

---

No, you're right, it's not because Hamlet is a great play that it is selling out. Mainly, I would suggest it's because of David Tennant. My evidence is this: he had a back injury that stopped him from performing on Monday night. Many people walked out/demanded a refund because of this.

It's just a shame I couldn't go - I love Patrick Stewart, I've grown up watching him (coincidentially he's the Chancellor of my University)...and David Tennant is quite a hottie, but I'm not that shallow....honest

---

Hmm... Well the BBC reports the opposite. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7772880.stm

-------
When they leave me, they're all smiles.
When they leave you, they're in tears.

---

Quote: from yellowsapphire at 6:06 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 5:43 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from allsmiles at 12:26 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 3:27 pm on Dec. 10, 2008

---

Quote: from medjai at 8:23 am on Dec. 10, 2008

---

To oversimplify Hamlet is a great injustice to its author, it is a tale of revenge but that is just the machine. It allows the protagonist implied unlimited character, as it must be assumed he was that he is past his prime and subjected to the great changes that obviously come through an individual after a man of such ability and power is forced into a corner of a perverse reality and tragic circumstance, and yet induces on himself an active mindset to defeat the pen that bore him. Hamlet is precisely interesting because it's protagonist realizes he is in a play, calls his playwright out on it, and attempts to take control by creating a play within a play to both succeed in his own will and surpass his author.

---

     

  Which doesn't change the fact that most of the tickets purchased for the current RSC run of Hamlet are likely related to the casting of David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. Or that I felt, many times while studying the play, a nearly irrepressable urge to slap Hamlet silly.

---

 

  I wouldn't go so far as to say most of them. RSC productions usually sell out. Though yea, I'd be inclined to purchase tickets to see Tennant and Stewart over any other current RSC production, that's not to say that I would go to the theatre purely to see them.

---

   

 You wouldn't; that doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of people who would.    

 I don't think that the selling out is solely because of them, but I do think that it's as much a mistake to say that it's solely because Hamlet is such a great play.

---

 

 No, you're right, it's not because Hamlet is a great play that it is selling out. Mainly, I would suggest it's because of David Tennant. My evidence is this: he had a back injury that stopped him from performing on Monday night. Many people walked out/demanded a refund because of this.  

 It's just a shame I couldn't go - I love Patrick Stewart, I've grown up watching him (coincidentially he's the Chancellor of my University)...and David Tennant is quite a hottie, but I'm not that shallow....honest  

---

Hmm... Well the BBC reports the opposite. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7772880.stm

---

I know - he's been given a standing ovation and all that. I'm talking about initially.

---

Hmm... Well the BBC reports the opposite. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7772880.stm

---

I wonder how many people that audience was, though--how many others walked out when they found out about the lack of Tennant. You can't deny that Tennant and Stewart are huge contributing factors to the draw of this show. Hell, I'm not a fan of Hamlet at all and I was considering going into serious debt to see those two onstage.

-------
Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

---

I've never had the urge to slap Hamlet. Why do you feel he needs to be slapped?

---

To comment on an earlier topic, Jared, I never considered this story to be over the nature of justice, but the validity of one's right to revenge over those who've wronged us or our families.

-------
"How incitful of you, dwarf. Though I can't speak for fenrir,
I beleive that he too has a certain degree of sarcasm
and humor in his posts." - Prince o palities

---

I was always under the impression that 'Julius Caesar' and 'Richard III' were widely studied....

---

Not nearly as widely as Romeo & Juliet or Hamlet. Or even Macbeth, for that matter.

-------
Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after