Overview
Synopsis
Prince Hamlet of Denmark sets out to avenge his father’s murder, all the while trying desperately to keep his sanity in one piece. That’s all very well for Hamlet — but how does the prince’s erratic behavior appear to casual bystanders not clued in on Hamlet’s schemes? In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, playwright Tom Stoppard turns one of the most famous plays of the Western world on its head by putting two minor characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and presenting the madcap antics of the royals through their eyes.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been summoned to Elsinore by the king, Claudius. He and Queen Gertrude, wish for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to glean what sudden sway of madness has affected Hamlet. The duo sets out to achieve their task, meeting a ragged troupe of players along the way. Brief glimpses of scenes from Hamlet show the trials and tribulations of the royals; our two heroes are largely left in a state of waiting. They pass the time playing games, posing questions, and tossing coins, until they gradually realize that their fates have been taken out of their own hands. They are merely characters in a larger story in which they have no say. Part Shakespearean tragedy, part Laurel and Hardy comedy routine, part Waiting for Godot absurdity, Tom Stoppard’s masterful debut play calls fate, free will, art, reality, communication, and the very constructs of theatre into question, all the while leading two most honorable, adventurous, brilliant, and inept characters on their path to their unfortunate, unavoidable, infamous fate.
Show Information
- Book
- Tom Stoppard
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1967
- Genres
- Dark Comedy
- Settings
- Simple/No Set, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- elizabethan era, denmark
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
The first appearance of something, such as a first performance onstage.
Relying on a strong set of values or principles, often moral or religious.
A philosophical theory which emphasizes the existence of the individual person with their own free will.
Deep sadness or somber thoughtfulness.
Overly exaggerated, sensationalized, or sentimental.
A type of theatre which draws attention to the nature of theatre and performance, often through a "play within a play"
An investigation of truth, existence, or morality that uses rational and logical thought
A set of the skills, devices, or subjects that an actor or company is prepared to perform.
Drama which abandons conventional dramatic form to portray the futility of human struggle in a senseless world.
An actor, specializing in tragedy.
A traveling group of performers.
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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