NEWS: I Wonder If Denmark Got a Ghetto, Yo?

CULTURE: I Wonder If Denmark Got a Ghetto, Yo?

Chicago, IL teens have put together a play featuring an updated version of Hamlet. It is titled ‘Hamlet in the Hood’ and in an attempt to modernize, has traded the King of Denmark for a night club owner, and turned the famous ‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy into a drunken rap.

The CNN news article has even more interesting information on the changes made to the play.

The play is an attempt by students from several different high schools in an attempt to win a $5,000 grant from the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority.

I’m still undecided on whether I’m annoyed that they are ruining a great play, or glad that they are putting some effort into learning a classic.

You had me firmly into the "glad" group until...

So "They bleed o' both sides!" has been replaced by "They're breakdance fighting!"

Lame.

i hear making fun of high school students is TOTALLY the way to show how bitching you are.

Something is rotten in the state of Illinois.

[Edited on Dec 08, 2005 by Ghostdad]

I agree. I generally love modern adaptations. I think they're great.

I'm just not so big of a fan of the ending. I would think that turning a sword fight into a dance-off would rob it of a great deal of impact. I can't be sure, having never seen it, but it's just... strange and I can't see how it would work and still retain the spirit of the piece.

The cool thing about shakespeare is that it's written so you can do whatever you need to with the play. There are very few director's notes and specific set requirements so it's pretty much up to the company to put on...

I still think it's amusing that pulp such as shakespeare is taught to highschool students, but that's a different matter entirely.

Hip-Hop=Getto(sic)?


Nice.

This sounds awesome. Good for them. Not only do they do something fun and creative, they learn a boring old classic and hopefully show it to some people who will get inspired by it in some way. Or it will be a something cool to watch instead of going to Algebra. Either case, High Schools: 1 Fuddy Duddies: 0

Also, that?

...AND STAY OFF MY LAWN!

Crazy kids.

I have no problem with the kids updating the play... to each their own and at least their trying to learn.


BUT COULDN'T THEY HAVE GIVEN IT A BETTER FUCKING NAME?!?! God, kids are so stupid.

"Damn! it's my nigga,Yo-Yo. I knew this homey, Jorge."

I assume it's just a reference to the 2Pac song, right? Also, if it's called "Hamlet In The Hood", I'm assuming they're trying to keep it "street".

I mean "Hood" doesn't necessarily equal "Ghetto", so I see what you're saying. But is it really necessarily bad to interchange them in this context?

How does one get stabbed with a poison blade while breakdance fighting? It does give a whole new meaning to "To Be or Not To Be"

And what does Horatio say? Goodnight Fair Homie?

[Edited on Dec 08, 2005 9:11AM]

All right, I'll bite:

Whuh??

Claudius got SERVED!

Pourin' out a forty fo' Yorrick.

Seconded.

Dude, would you rather watch 16-18 year olds try to learn and execute sword-fighting coreography or dance? I vote dance, and I think it's a good call.

Even if you disagree with the substitution of the dance, how would you rewrite the duel for a modern adaptation? We don't really duel anymore, *except in hip-hop* where the art of the battle has always been part of the culture.

The adaptation sounds like a great idea to me; somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but these were always populist stories-- I don't think Shakespeare's plays were ever meant to be the province of elites, they were just about them.

True. Shakespeare actually began many of his plays with ''This one here's for my peoples, my peoples."

Theo Huxtable should sure for copyright infringement.

"Great Caesar's Ghost, Great Caesar's Ghost..."

No, you're right and the more I think about it the more I'm not sure how else to do it. I guess what struck me about the difference between the dance and the duel is that in the duel there was already an atmosphere of mortality. Even if it was just for "sport", both combatants knew that someone could die and I felt like that added to the scene. Without that, I guess I felt that something would be missing.

Like I said, I generally love adaptations. Loved Luhrman's Romeo, loved McKellan's Richard III, loved a tripped-out drugged-up hippie version of Midsummer Night's Dream I saw at a Shakespeare In The Park recently (I even thought 10 Things I Hate About You had its moments). And I love this idea. I think it's great. That ending scene idea just jarred my sensibilities for a second (and, to be honest, I wanted to make the Zoolander joke).

[Edited on Dec 08, 2005 by Subrosa]

We must make theatre that speaks our voice.

Acting isn't being someone else. It's showing a different part of your being.

our future president will be known as da biyatch in chage.

Something similar was done by dancer Rennie Harris with his adaptation 'Rome and Jewels'. But I'm sure his was much more awesome.

Theres more information about it here.