Shamlet was performed by the Ping Fong Acting Troupe and directed by WANG Yue. Read More
Rehearsal for the “ghost” scene gets underway, but is interrupted when “Claudius” steps onto the stage making a long distance call on a mobile phone. “Claudius” and the “Ghost,” who do not get along off stage, begin arguing. “Horatio” (also the director) breaks up the argument so that the rehearsal can resume.
The actors are rehearsing the “graveyard” scene, however, personal feelings surface to interrupt the proceedings. “Laertes” gets very emotional, but his breakdown annoys “Gertrude.” Then, an over eager “Gravedigger” triggers another outburst from “Laertes” on stage which prompts one of the crew to ask if he is alright. The rehearsal comes to a halt as other actors leave the stage.
In this “duel” scene rehearsal, truths are revealed about “who’s who.” The director who is dressed in Hamlet’s blue costume, is revealed to be “Laertes.” The actor who played “Hamlet” in the “ghost” scene is dressed in Horatio’s red costume, but is indeed “Hamlet” in this scene. An actor dressed as a royal guard begs forgiveness over an affair from a fellow countrywoman before confessing to be “Horatio.”
Shamlet: Shakespeare as Palimpsest
By Alexa Alice Joubin | July 20, 2014This article investigates one of the most traditional yet uncanny literary recursions in recent practices of cultural translation—the turn to Shakespeare. It explores a range of questions regarding the mediated nature of transnational experiences. How, for example, does this mediation articulate a diverse range of ethnic and cultural identities in the visible, palpable and audible world of theatre? Why Shakespeare? How do stage translations of Shakespeare evince very specific ways of adapting culture in the postmodern Taiwanese context? What is the relationship between cultural translation and national imperatives? Read More
