19:00, Tue 12th – Sat 16th November 2024 at Pembroke New Cellars
Michaelmas Week 5
'I Hate Hamlet' is a comedy play about Andrew Rally - a New York actor who seems to have it all. His role on a hit comedy series has rocketed him to superstardom : he’s just moved into a swanky new apartment, he’s surrounded by the rich and famous, and he’s just booked a gig as Hamlet in Central Park. So what’s the problem?
Turns out, there are many. His show has been cancelled, his girlfriend is too privileged and uppity to even consider sleeping with him, and worst of all - he has no interest in playing Hamlet at all. How can Andrew possibly go from a sitcom to one of literature’s most serious characters of all time? This is when the ghost of John Barrymore enters, convinced that he can persuade Andrew that Hamlet is more than just a role - it’s a unique calling that might just change his life.
I Hate Hamlet is a comedy about theatre itself. Featuring sword-fighting ghosts and melodramatic monologues, the play discusses the role of creativity and the dilemma between authenticity and commercial success.