I’ve seen a handful of plays that had famous people, but I think my favorite, which had no famous people, was a version of Hamlet in Charlotte NC.
It took place in an industrial district that had closed down and later claimed by Charlotte’s various arts organizations. One office building that had checkerboard tiled floors served as the stage. They made the setting more of a post-Apocalyptic theme, as if the players were survivors of a nuclear war. They stretched a couple of parachutes across the stage ceiling and lined the sides with stacked sandbags. The soundtrack comprised 2000’s alt-metal artists like Papa Roach. The actors dressed in medieval garb, but added some post-nuclear flair.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were played by women. They dressed in tight leather and hinted they were former lovers of Hamlet. Instead of asking seemingly innocent questions about Hamlet’s motives, they made like they were seducing him, like Femme Fatales beguiling James Bond. In other plays, Hamlet would act eccentric and insane to confuse Ros & Guild, but in this case, Hamlet acted like they were succeeding, then he’d coyly pull the rug out from under them.
Also of note, the scene where King Claudius has his soliloquy with God and weeps, begs forgiveness, and promises to be a good man, was done differently. In this version, Claudius was not regretful of his actions at all, and made a deal with God like he was a CEO closing a multimillion dollar deal. I went to the actor after the performance and commended him on his approach. He said he thought Claudius would feel he was justified for his actions, since he is now king.
Instead of using a single ghost of Hamlet’s father, they had the other cast members wearing black hoods reciting his lines from the audience, switching spotlights from one to the other as Hamlet flailed about the stage trying to locate the elusive ghost. They used axes instead of foils in the duel between Hamlet and Laertes, and they would grunt and growl at each other like barbarians.
