Hamlet, The First Quarto

C. Stanley Photography
Performance Dates
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The so-called “bad quarto,” or first printing of Hamlet has mystified scholars for hundreds of years. It's half as long and far less poetic than the “normal” Hamlet, with garbled-seeming text and a different plot sequence. It may be a touring script or an early draft that was never meant for printing. One theory maintains that it is a pirated version of Hamlet. The brevity and—admittedly—peculiar language of this version jar both actors and audience from the comfort of the play they know so well, which means it's the perfect opportunity to reconsider what Hamlet is.

 

Production Information

Approximate Running Time
120 minutes

Cast

Performer
Role
Corambis/Ensemble
Ghost/Claudius
Leartes/Ensemble
Ofelia/Horatio
Gertred/Ensemble

Creative Team

Set Designer
Costume Designer
Choreographer for plays
Sound Designer
Composer
Lighting Designer