When we did a production of Hamlet at the theatre where I
worked, I went and watched it one night and felt the need to remonstrate with
the actor who played the lead.
‘But you forgot “Now could I drink hot blood and do such
bitter business as the day would quake to look on.”’
(They happen to be my favourite lines from Hamlet, you see.)
‘I know,’ he replied. ‘I left out lots of other lines as
well.’
So there’s the lesson: go and watch a Shakespeare play, and
unless you know it backwards you’ve no idea whether you’re getting all the
words or not.
* * *
He had an American wife, you know – the actor, that is. He
picked her up in LA when he was over there touring with the RSC. Not sure
whether he brought her back in the hold luggage next to the African tribal
mask, or in the carry-on with his spare set of underwear. She never looked
happy. With him or without him, never happy. I felt constantly sorry for her. Maybe
it was the climate.
* * *
I’m not into hot blood tonight. I have an irresistible urge
for strong tobacco, strong coffee, and copious amounts of anything edible as
long as it’s carbohydrate.
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