I hope you won't mind me sharing this with you - but I had a dream the other day about one of our lecturers. No, not *that* sort of a dream! Honestly! We were all sitting in class telling this lecturer that we were about to produce a student production of Hamlet. (We're not by the way - God knows where that came from).
Anyway, after asking us whether we had chosen to interpret the roles vertically or horizontally (no, I've no idea either), he then went on to say the following, priceless line:
"Well, of course, *many* people just want to be in Hamlet for the songs."
At which point, I woke up laughing, which I don't think I've ever done before.
So, any suggestions for Hamlet, the Musical? It could be a big hit... Is that Ophelia over there, singing "I know him so well?"
Posted by Eurodan at May 22, 2003 12:25 AMNow didn't u just know I'd be the first one back to this...
Ahem - I did once, many years ago (at school I think - full of the confidence of youth) make a start on just such a project. The idea was to do a send-up, i.e. how it would sound if someone really cheesy wanted to prove their intellectual credentials by doing "Hamlet - the Musical". Never got anywhere with it, of course, but I've still got a couple of the songs hanging round - just in case the world was ever ready...
Posted by: Erato at May 22, 2003 12:44 AMI should have known! Hamlet, the Musical lives! I think now might be the time to dust off the manuscript...
Posted by: Eurodan at May 22, 2003 9:42 AMWell, well, well- and who was the lecturer, may I ask?!
Dreams are funny, aren't they? Sometimes they really change the way you think about somebody or something. Just last night I dreamt about somebody I can't stand (who, like your- our! lecturer, will remain anonymous)who came over as a really great person in the dream, leading me to question my original judgement when I woke up. Amazing how our dreams can be so powerful.
Sorry, no suggestions as yet for 'Hamlet- the Musical', though there should definitely be a part for that cool Icelandic Eurovision singer you introduced me to. But Dan, what am I doing, I'm supposed to be doing a translation exam here!Damn you and your exciting blog!
Love Leah
For example...
The opening number, inspired directly by the play's first words, did what all good opening numbers are supposed to do, i.e. introduce the audience to the setting, the situation and the main characters - only with an extra large helping of 'clunk':
WHO'S THERE? (Bernardo and Francisco, the wholly insignificant soldiers, quaveringly, in quavers)
Who's there?!
Is it Hamlet?
Is it Hamlet, Prince of Denmark?
Is it Hamlet, come to burden us with problematic woes?
Who's there?
Is it Hamlet?
Does he speak of nothing other
Than the murder of his father at the hands of ancient foes?
Is it Claudius, who recentLY
Acceded to the throne?
Has he come to check securiTY
By catching us alone?
Or Polonius, Lord Charmberlain
With Laertes his son
And Ophelia his daughter
Who's desired by everyone...?
Who's there?
Is it Gertrude?
Is it Gertrude, Hamlet's mother?
Is it Rosencrantz or Guildenstern?
I swear I heard a tread -
Who's there?
Is it Osric,
Or Horatio or Fortinbras,
Or Yorick, the court jester? -
No it can't be him, he's dead.
And I've remembered that from about 20 years ago! Oh dear...
That is *priceless*! I especially love the last line - it really sets the tone. Maybe the 'play within a play' section could be modelled around the scene in the Sound of Music where Maria and the Children perform 'The Lonely Goatherd' for the Captain...
Posted by: Eurodan at May 22, 2003 12:21 PMROTFL oh no, you've set me thinking now...
Posted by: Erato at May 22, 2003 12:49 PMIk volg meer Leah. Wie was diene prof? Over Hamelet en consoorten kan ik helaas niet meespreken, te brits.
Wel een enorm tof idee een on line dagboek.Verder doen. Ben onder de indruk van een engelsman die nederlands spreekt maar zoals dat je zelfs zei de vertalingen moeten er nog aankomen,hé.
Oe est noch me d'proufwerken.k hope d ze nie te moeilijk zijn.t'es int dialekt dak nu ant klappen bene, kwenie of da ge da verstoat.Oat te moeilik e moeie t moa zeggen hé.Toenst gonnak were geweun vloams klappen.
Succes met de examens
Posted by: Fred at May 22, 2003 7:05 PMThanks very much for that, Fred. Your kind words of Flemish have spurred me on to finally open up the Dutch blog - to which you are cordially invited - en daar kun je met me ook wel de hele avond in het oostvlaams babbelen... dat vond ik héééél plezant ;-)
Posted by: Eurodan at May 22, 2003 8:05 PMTranslation please
Posted by: Another *anxiety dreamer* (yes, I'm sorry, but that's the only explanation) at May 23, 2003 10:30 AMOK - here goes - I've tried to simulate the Flemish dialect using Yorkshire:
I'm with Leah on this: Who was the lecturer? I can't comment on Hamlet and his consorts - too British.
What a great idea, an online diary - let's have more of it. I'm impressed that there's an Englishman who can speak Dutch, but as you said yourself, we're still waiting for the translations, aren't we?
How are the exams going? I hope they're not too difficult. Eeh by eck, I'm speaking in dialect now, lad. I'm not right sure if tha'll catch my drift, like. Right difficult *disappears into indecipherable dialect for a bit*... but we could just talk normal Flemish.
Ey oop, lad, tha's reet gradely!
(Trans. for southerners: Blimey, geez, you're the dogs, innit!)
So where did you pick up all that Flemish then??
Ah'll sithee.
Posted by: Erato at May 23, 2003 1:07 PMStrangely enough, EMI Belgium! (I worked there for six months in 1997).
Posted by: Eurodan at May 23, 2003 3:55 PMYou seem to have sidestepped the "which lecturer" question quite neatly... Let's be knowing!!!
NB: I recently also woke myself laughing at a hilarious dream, and Johnny too, who didn't find it quite so funny....
Posted by: Alison at July 4, 2003 7:08 PMAh yes, I did rather, didn't I?
Well it was actually John Green who made the amusing remark in my dream... make of that what you will!
(And see you next week, Alison! :-)