The Play Within A Play
Write the script for the play Hamlet has performed in the court. Use clues from the text to help you decide where to go.
You’re the Designer
Create costume designs that show the difference between Hamlet and the rest of the court. Pay attention to the meaning or feelings behind the colors you pick. Consider what era you want to set the play in and what impact that will have on the play.
You’re the Writer
Rewrite Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech in modern language. Try to include several idioms, allusions, and examples of figurative language.
You’re the Actor
Option A: Monologue
Pick a speech of at least ten lines. Repeat the speech using several different techniques. Try it dramatically, angrily, humorously, sarcastically. Try emphasizing different words to change the meaning of the words.
Option B: Dialogue
Pick a bit of dialogue of at least ten lines. Play the scene using several different techniques. Try it dramatically, angrily, humorously, and sarcastically. Try emphasizing different words and swapping roles to change the meaning of the words.
You’re the Playwright
Write or improvise a scene involving any of the characters from the play. Examine their relationships from a modern perspective. How could they communicate differently? Is there another way the play could have ended? Are there other complications that could have arisen?
Telling the Story
Hamlet is full of monologues and soliloquies, when reading the play pick at least five speeches that you feel tell the overall story of the show. They can be from any character in any scene.
