Hamlet with a Twist: Kyle Alan Discusses Playing the Melancholy Dane in a "Drunken Shakespeare Bar Crawl"

Town & Gown is doing something different on Saturday, August 22nd. We're putting on a performance of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, one that commences at Finnegan's Fighting Goat, the tavern on the corner of Main and Seventh Street in Stillwater—continues at Zannotti's, the wine bar about half a block west on Seventh—and concludes at Stonecloud, the tasting room a few blocks south on Husband.

Certainly taking the Bard to the street this way is a challenging, if not potentially risky, business! Will there be space? Will there be spills? What about the acoustics? Will the actors have to contend with, let's call it, "tipsy audience participation"?

That said, Hamlet himself suggests we mustn't overthink things when he mutters to himself rather loudly:

[T]he native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,

And enterprises of great pith and moment

With this regard their currents turn awry,

And lose the name of action.

This might've been his way of saying, "Let the show go on!"

Taking the title part is Kyle Alan, who has participated in several Town & Gown shows in various capacities. I asked Kyle a few questions about the kinds of challenges facing the production and facing him as he assumes the legendary role.

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Tim: Given the restrictions of the performing spaces, I imagine grand theatrical spectacle is being held to a minimum. Describe what the audience will see. Costumes (including tights and those neck-ruffle things)? Lines recited by memory (which would be a very unexpected sight for a one-time performance)? Sword fights (if there are sword fights in Hamlet)? Ghosts (and I know there's at least one)?

Kyle: As I understand it, the theatrical costumes and such will be kept to a minimum. We will have shirts with our character names so that the various audience members don’t get confused in the different bars. So unfortunately no neck ruffles in this production. As far as memorization it is not required. We will have scripts with us simply because it is a single-day performance with no real rehearsal time. There will in fact be fights. Courtney Pilkington (Laertes) will coordinate that. and the fight will mostly be between her and me. I kill Timothy Cole (Polonius) swiftly. There is also a ghost, and she is incredibly convincing. That will be Hannah Mans. Tim: Olivier. McKellen. Day-Lewis. Branagh. Tennant. Cumberbatch. Even Sarah Bernhardt played Hamlet. Hasn't this play been done enough? Kidding. What do you find in/bring to the role that, as far as you know, might put a unique spin on it?

Kyle: So many great people have played this character and have had their own interpretations of Hamlet. I am trying something different with mine. Kind of a young money meets Jack Torrance vibe which (if I’m capable of pulling it off) will hopefully captivate audiences.

Tim: I bet performing in a drinking establishment raises concerns about noisy patrons or perhaps a heckler. Is there a plan to deal with any Falstaffs or Toby Belches in the audience—and are you at all amused by the pretentious references I just made?

Kyle: My plan for hecklers is to force them to be part of the show. Unless they can sufficiently heckle in Shakespearean dialog—then they get a pass. But for normal everyday heckling the culprit will be placed on the performance area and integrated into the scene as various pieces of scenery.

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My thanks to Kyle! Needless to say, audience members can follow the cast as they move through all three bars—or they can simply enjoy a few scenes at one. It's all free, after all.

That said, as I understand it, only those of legal drinking age are allowed inside Finnegan's and Zannotti's. Stonecloud lets in anyone, though the bar area is restricted to 21 and older. In addition, while the conclusion of Hamlet gets a bit bloody, I have a hunch this production will favor the Shakespearean language over the violence, the gabbing over the stabbing.