[NEohioPAL]An Answer to the "Review" of Hamlet at Weathervane

Wed Apr 9 09:57:12 PDT 2003

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AN ANSWER TO THE "REVIEW" OF HAMLET AT WEATHERVANE

It was my privilege to be one of the adult actors in the production at 
Weathervane. We all donated three months of our time to this project because 
we felt that it was a wonderful opportunity for us to work with young people, 
most of whom had never been involved in theatre.  We were fully aware of the 
difficulties inherent in doing an adolescent version of what is 
unquestionably one of the most difficult plays in the English language.

The experience proved to be rewarding in many ways. The interpretations of 
lines and characters were, for the most part, those of the young actors. That 
created a great sense of pride. The set was 
re-designed and the entire play was re-blocked on opening day, when the 
actress playing the queen broke her foot and had to be in a wheelchair for 
the rest of the run.  One couldn't ask for a better lesson in the experience 
of live theatre. Many of the Q&A sessions after each of the school 
performances, showed an exciting interest and understanding of the current 
relevance of the play. Most of the young actors involved enjoyed the planned 
on further work in theatre.

Ordinarily, I wouldn't dignify a venomous post-facto commentary with a reply, 
but I do feel a need to share the joy that this production brought to the 
actors, families, and most of the audience. I entitle the writer to his 
opinion. It does give me pleasure to know that we brought him the joy that he 
experienced in writing his "review". I thank the people at Weathervane for 
their ongoing support of youth projects. Shakespeare wrote for the people. 
His works, in whatever venue they are performed, will continue to provide 
great insight and understanding of the human condition, to those who choose 
to appreciate them.    

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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT  SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">AN ANSWER TO THE "REVIEW" OF HAMLET AT WEATHERVANE<BR>
<BR>
It was my privilege to be one of the adult actors in the production at Weath=
ervane. We all donated three months of our time to this project because we f=
elt that it was a wonderful opportunity for us to work with young people, mo=
st of whom had never been involved in theatre.  We were fully aware of=20=
the difficulties inherent in doing an adolescent version of what is unquesti=
onably one of the most difficult plays in the English language.<BR>
<BR>
The experience proved to be rewarding in many ways. The interpretations of l=
ines and characters were, for the most part, those of the young actors. That=
 created a great sense of pride. The set was <BR>
re-designed and the entire play was re-blocked on opening day, when the actr=
ess playing the queen broke her foot and had to be in a wheelchair for the r=
est of the run.  One couldn't ask for a better lesson in the experience=
 of live theatre. Many of the Q&A sessions after each of the school perf=
ormances, showed an exciting interest and understanding of the current relev=
ance of the play. Most of the young actors involved enjoyed the planned on f=
urther work in theatre.<BR>
<BR>
Ordinarily, I wouldn't dignify a venomous post-facto commentary with a reply=
, but I do feel a need to share the joy that this production brought to the=20=
actors, families, and most of the audience. I entitle the writer to his opin=
ion. It does give me pleasure to know that we brought him the joy that he ex=
perienced in writing his "review". I thank the people at Weathervane for the=
ir ongoing support of youth projects. Shakespeare wrote for the people. His=20=
works, in whatever venue they are performed, will continue to provide great=20=
insight and understanding of the human condition, to those who choose to app=
reciate them.    <BR>
<BR>
    <BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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