Andrew Hamm: the Bipolar Express

Ruminations on theatre, music, and just about anything else that crosses my bipolar brain.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Good night, sweet prince

Hamlet closes this afternoon, and I have mixed feelings.

The company has become very close, like soldiers sharing a foxhole, and it is truly a group of very kind, sweet people. I will miss working with them all very much. Playing opposite Jeff Cole has been a singular joy, and the thought of ending that relationship fills me with sadness. (Here's a little behind-the-scenes tidbit for you: In the blackout after Hamlet's death, Jeff and I either clasp hands, or I kiss him on the head, or we tell each other "I love you" every night. It's the only thing that pulls me out of the moment enough to do a curtain call.)

I will miss little moments onstage like looking for the ghost when Hamlet says "Methinks I see my father," like Marcellus and I being dragged to our knees by the Ghost's voice, like how many times Ophelia has heard her father talk about having played Julius Caesar, and the serene calm before the storm of the Gravedigger scene. My favorite moment in the play is just watching Hamlet with Yorick's skull, soaking in his wonderful complexity and loving him.

I will miss this show.

BUT, I'll be grateful for the small break I have through December. I'm starting a new job the week after next. I'm starting to work on my lines and physical vocabulary for Salieri in Amadeus, the role I feel like I've been waiting my whole life to play. And I have two directing projects (neither of which I can talk about yet) in the works, and I want to get as much preliminary work on them done early so I can focus entirely on Salieri in January.

So good night, Hamlet. Thanks for the memories, and for the growth.

What's next?

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3 Comments:

  • At 11/09/2008 12:13 PM , Blogger Jeffrey Cole said...

    You have about 4 or 5 different favorite things about this show. And you're right about every one of them.

    Thank you for this, my brother. If anything more ever comes of this thing I call acting, be assured the seeds of it started when we saw Iron Man in the theatre, and I told you I'd love to swing a sword for Henry IV pt 2.
    And on and on.

    Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    Something something something too much of this.

     
  • At 11/10/2008 8:40 PM , Blogger Andrew Hamm said...

    There are more things that are dreamt of, Horatio, heaven and earth.

    Angels and ministers of grace defend us.

    SWEAR!

    The rest is silence.

     
  • At 11/10/2008 9:18 PM , Blogger Brad @ IceCreamUScream said...

    This is related if you're in the know. Have you seen the TV show form Canada, Slings & Arrows, about a Shakespeare theatre company in Canada. it is hilarious and dramatic and wonderful. Please do yourself a favor and track it down. The first season is about putting on Hamlet.

     

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