With the end of the quarter on its way, the SFCC Drama Department is preparing for a production of the play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
Scott Doughty, director of the production, says that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is the story of Hamlet told from the points of view of two of its minor characters, namely Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Nick Demmert, a student in his first quarter here at SFCC, will be playing the role of Hamlet. Despite being the subject of the play that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is derived from, the Danish prince is more of a minor character in this play.
“I would say that Hamlet in this play is an ideal minor character, as the play doesn’t necessarily revolve around him,” Demmert said. “Yet, most of the action wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for something to do with the original story of Hamlet.”
The play was written by Czechborn playwright Tom Stoppard in 1964.
“Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is one of the most fascinating and widely discussed plays in modern history,” director Doughty said.
“The playwright uses these seemingly insignificant characters (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) to explore the question, ‘What is life if it has no meaning?’,” Doughty said. “What makes this play so lovely is rather than being depressing, (is that) it is actually a very funny, witty, British comedy.”
Ryan Shore, who plays Guildenstern, says that the play shows what the characters of a play are doing when they’re not on stage. Platon Hogan, who will be playing Rosencrantz in the production, described the central idea in much the same way.
“They’re kind of the ants under the magnifying glass,” Hogan said. “They’ve been thrown into this situation of reverse Hamlet.”
When asked to describe their characters, Hogan and Shore came up with the following statement: Guildenstern is a thinker and not a doer, whereas Rosencrantz is a doer and not a thinker.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead has a reputation as being a difficult play to perform.
“Where most plays average around 60-80 pages, (the play) is 126 pages long,” Doughty said.
According to Doughty, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead has more pages devoted to the leads alone than most plays have total. This results in a relatively heavy load of memorization on the parts of the two titular characters.
“It’s been a challenge for both Ryan and I,” said Hogan, “We’ve had to grow.” Hogan and Shore have been working together in productions since the start of this school year, and have become fast friends.
“The most fun thing for me has been getting to know Platon,” Shore said.
Hogan says that he agrees, and that working with Shore is one of his favorite aspects of SFCC theater.
“It’s nice when you find someone you can work with who is as passionate as you.” said Hogan.
The showing will be at the Spartan Theater in Building 5 of the SFCC campus. The show can be seen May 30 through June 1, and June 6 through 8 at 7:30 p.m., with matinees at 1:30 p.m. on June 2 and 9. Admittance is eight dollars for the general public, but free with SFCC student identification.The play is one of the season productions of the SFCC Drama Department, and the Reveler’s Drama Club is a partner in the production process.