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Hamlet: Ophelia's madness

Hamlet: Ophelia's madness
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Key Info
  • Hamlet: Ophelia's madness
  • Duration: 03:01
  • Gregory Doran and Mariah Gale discuss Ophelia's madness. Patrick Stewart reveals how the scene was given extra charge by keeping cast members in the dark. They consider how to approach the issue of mental instability. How might a person feel if their lover had killed their father? Does Ophelia play up her insanity by behaving in a deliberately manic way? We also learn how director and actress worked secretly on the scene and they discuss the fascination and danger of being on stage but not knowing what's going to happen next. Features extracts from the televised version of the 2008 RSC production of 'Hamlet'.
  • Subject:

    Drama

       Topic:

    Explorative Strategies

  • Keywords: insanity, madness, dramatic plotting Mariah Gale, William Shakespeare, Ophelia, Patrick Stewart, David Tennant, RSC, Royal Shakespeare Company, HamletDrama
Ideas for use in class
  • What is madness? How do we recognise it? Is Ophelia's reaction to her loss plausible? How does Shakespeare emphasise her mental decline through use of language and dramatic plotting? How does this compare with Hamlet's behaviour elsewhere in the play? Must you be mad to assume an 'antic disposition'? Attempt key moments from this scene in a variety of ways. Try to spontaneously improvise the madness in less stereotypical ways. Don't tell the other actors or those watching what to expect. Evaluate what worked best and why? Find further resources at: www.bbc.co.uk/hamlet.
Background details
  • Clip language : English
  • Aspect ratio : 16x9
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