Comments on: Hamlet Uncut is 5 Hours Long! http://www.bardblog.com/hamlet-uncut-is-5-hours-long/ Quips, Quibbles, Queries, and Quarks from a Quirky Bardolator Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:32:45 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: A.K.Farrar http://www.bardblog.com/hamlet-uncut-is-5-hours-long/comment-page-1/#comment-354 A.K.Farrar Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:39:47 +0000 http://www.bardblog.com/?p=184#comment-354 I sat through a 'cut' Hamlet that was over 4 hours and a half (with intervals) and many a cut one feels much more. Speed of delivery was certainly different - but what wasn't played in Shakespeare's time is the 'un-cut' text we now have. What is noticeable in it are the repeats and mismatches. Shakespeare texts as printed were rarely what you heard on stage - as I recently mentioned elsewhere, Hamlet gives us the classic reason for believing texts were adapted and changed for individual performances - Hamlet changes 'The Mousetrap". The Hamlet text is questioned - and often regarded as the least complete Shakespeare text precisely because it is not reflective of a performance but contains far too much for a satisfying theatre experience (especially if you are standing in the theatre on a January day and the light is fading fast. I sat through a ‘cut’ Hamlet that was over 4 hours and a half (with intervals) and many a cut one feels much more.
Speed of delivery was certainly different – but what wasn’t played in Shakespeare’s time is the ‘un-cut’ text we now have.

What is noticeable in it are the repeats and mismatches.

Shakespeare texts as printed were rarely what you heard on stage – as I recently mentioned elsewhere, Hamlet gives us the classic reason for believing texts were adapted and changed for individual performances – Hamlet changes ‘The Mousetrap”.

The Hamlet text is questioned – and often regarded as the least complete Shakespeare text precisely because it is not reflective of a performance but contains far too much for a satisfying theatre experience (especially if you are standing in the theatre on a January day and the light is fading fast.

]]> By: Ken in Albuquerque http://www.bardblog.com/hamlet-uncut-is-5-hours-long/comment-page-1/#comment-353 Ken in Albuquerque Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:43:21 +0000 http://www.bardblog.com/?p=184#comment-353 One of the many Shakespeare-related myths is that the BBC versions of the plays are uncut. The BBC Hamlet has considerable cuts in every act of the play. One of the many Shakespeare-related myths is that the BBC versions of the plays are uncut. The BBC Hamlet has considerable cuts in every act of the play.

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