I have also seen some other versions of the fantastic play 'Hamlet'. I recently saw the Ethan Hawke version, and enjoyed it, although as a 28 year old actor, he seemed slightly too old to be playing the part of a young student. From a very young age I have always enjoyed the 'Lion King’, which was based around the play 'Hamlet'. Scar played the part of Claudius and Simba was Hamlet.
To choose my actors and actress for the scene I have tried to choose the most effective and well known actors to make the audience want to watch their favourite movie stars play characters in such a dramatic film. Firstly I would use Leonardo Di Caprio to play the part of Hamlet as he suits the part. I would imagine he would portray a brooding, sullen-browed young Hamlet who is moody, miserable and yet clever and cunning, for the part of Gertrude I would choose the actress 'Kim Cattarcl' who plays 'Samantha' in ‘Sex in the City’ as she comes across as a woman who has a lot of affairs! This is exactly what Gertude has done, married King Claudius after his brother’s (her husband’s) death. Finally to choose the actor to play Polonius I would have John Thaw as he used to play 'Inspector Morse' so I think he would be good for the part of Polonius as he is a spy.
For my contempary version of Hamlet I am setting my play in a top Danish restaurant, It is Danish because the original Hamlet was set in Denmark and it is a restaurant because it could be a family business that had been going for years, and past down from Hamlet’s grand-parents and then to Hamlet’s father. I have decided to do the restaurant idea because the King in the original can be seen as the manager of the restaurant, and is an important leader. I picture Hamlet as a young, determined student who cares very much for his father, so I would give him the role of helping his father in the restaurant, where his father would have been the boss, and was happily married to Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. I have chosen the restaurant to be set in Central London as it is always very busy, and so lots of people will be aware of the beautiful restaurant, and also because most of London’s greatest attractions are in the centre of London.
To begin the scene I would start with Polonius trying to get Gertrude to speak with Hamlet about his 'pranks’, he talks to her softly and caringly. I have chosen this scene to be set in the restaurant’s kitchen so when Gertrude and Polonius hear Hamlet coming Polonius quickly hides behind a kitchen counter so he is not in view of Hamlet when he enters and talks with his mother.
Hamlet then enters the stunningly clean kitchen, and says 'Mother you have my father much offended'. This tells us that Hamlet’s father is offended about what she has apparently done, he has been directed to say it looking very cross and angry to show that he is standing up for his dead father. As Hamlet says this I would direct him to lean over his mother to show he is in charge and extremely angry, Gertrude in turn looks at him and appears stunned at her sons unusual behaviour.
As Hamlet and Gertrude carry on their conversation, Hamlet is increasingly getting angrier with his mother, because at the moment he is certain that she was in on such a horrible deed with Claudius, and she is not admitting it, although she is innocent he does not know this. Hamlet is now looking very hot and furious, continuously walking back and forth in the kitchen and says 'what wilt thou do?. This shows the audience that he is confused and does not know what to do for the best, and mainly for his father. Thou wilt not murder me? Help ho!'. This obviously shows that Gertrude is getting worried and petrified at Hamlets actions, so she is in fear and trepidation. Hamlet then assumes that Claudius is behind the kitchen counter, so he abruptly runs around the wooden counter with a kitchen knife and stabs the innocent body. Hamlet then looks completely shocked at his 'rash and bloody deed' and slowly steps back. Gertrude stands behind Hamlet in horror and shock at Hamlet’s irrational deed. Hamlet then turns to his mother, and says 'A bloody deed, almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother'. Shakespeare’s use of rhyming couplet shows the audience that Hamlet is embarrassed to think his mother would do such a thing. This also ‘breaks the ice’ for Gertrude, it is now clear what Hamlet is trying to accuse her of. It gets Gertrude’s attention again; her reaction declares her innocence of the murder, ‘Oh Hamlet, speak no more. Thou turn’st my eyes into my very soul, and there I see such black and grained spots as will not leave there tinct’ Gertrude says this because she wants Hamlet to stop accusing her, and if she looks deep into her soul she will see ‘black and grained spots’, a sign to show her she has been bad, like a reminder of a sin. Hamlet is then infuriated at his mother’s feeble innocence, so he starts to become angry again. Hamlet then gets hold of his mother and thrusts her against the immaculate fridge. He shakes her desperate for her confession of murdering his father. However, he suddenly stops and gradually turns around in amazement only to see a figure of his father at the doorway of the kitchen.
When the ghost of Hamlet’s father enters Hamlet is eager to find out what he has to say and the ghost suggests that Hamlet talks with his mother. Gertrude is un-aware of the ghosts presence, she stands back and re-agusts her ragged shirt, as she believes that Hamlet has lost his insanity,'alas, how is't with you?’ This shows that Gertrude is confused and doesn’t know why Hamlet is talking to his father when he is not there. This will probably make her think that Hamlet is going mad. However, Hamlet denies that he is going insane, ‘My pulse yours doth temperately keep time, and makes as healthful music’. Hamlet is trying to tell Gertrude that he is fine. This quote also uses a metaphor by saying his heart beats regularly and plays a ‘healthful’ music. This tells us he is fine and healthy and not going mad. The ghost only says a few words to Hamlet in his presence, ‘Do not forget. This visitation, is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose’ this is Shakespeare’s use of metaphor, he is telling Hamlet not to forget his visitation as it is important, if he does then there would have been no purpose in him coming. ‘whet’ means to sharpen a knife so Shakespeare means that Hamlet should ‘sharpen his blunted memory’ if he forgets the visit from his father.
After the visitation Hamlets behaviour strangely changes, he becomes more loving and affectionate towards his mother. He walks slowly over to his mother, teary eyed and holds his mother, clasping her face in his hands. You can really tell that Gertrude and Hamlet are affected by Hamlet’s insanity as both of them seem to cry for most of the scene. The whole scene is a sharing of emotions. They kiss each other on the face; it is a connection between them both, and rather then a lust they both have for any sexual contact. They needed to connect physically in some way, after all they are mother and son.
Hamlet then tells Gertrude that she must go to bed and tell no one about his secrets of how he will catch Claudius, his mother accepts Hamlets orders and gently kisses the side of his face, and he kisses her back.
Hamlet then slowly walks over to the stale smelling body, picks up the heels of Polonius and gently drags the body off stage leaving traces of skin curdling blood.
