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Act 1 Scene 2
Claudius Our sometime sister, now our queen, the imperial jointress of this war-like state.
Gertrude (Dorothy Ann Gould) listens while Claudius (John Kani) speaks to the court.
Photo by Suzanne Worthington © RSC
Act 1 Scene 4
Hamlet It will not speak; then, will I follow it.
Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) and Horatio (Adam Neill) see the ghost (John Kani) appear.
Act 1 Scene 5&
Ghost Revenge this foul and most unnatural murder.
The Ghost (John Kani) tells Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) that he was murdered by his brother, Claudius, and he wants Hamlet to avenge his death.
Act 2 Scene 2
Hamlet Dost thou hear me, old friend: can you play the Murder of Gonzago?
Out of hearing of Rosencrantz (Marcel Meyer) and Guildenstern (Nicholas Pauling) Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) asks the First Player (Tauriq Jenkins) to perform a play, with some lines of his own lines added.
Act 3 Scene 1
Hamlet To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream; ay, there's the rub.
Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) delivers Hamlet's famous soliloquy while performing slow t'ai chi style moves. The slow meditative martial art mirrors Hamlet's reasoned reflection on the advantages and disadvantages of existence.
Ophelia I have rememberances of yours, That I have longed long to re-deliver; I pray you now receive them.
Ophelia (Roshina Ratnam) tries to return letters to Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam).
Act 3 Scene 2
Hamlet You shall see anon how the murderer gets the love of Gonzago's wife.
The Players (Adrian Collins as the King and Mbulelo Grootboom as Lucianus) perform for Claudius (John Kani) and Gertrude (Dorothy Ann Gould).
Hamlet Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?
After the play, Polonius (Royston Stoffels) asks Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) to go to his mother. Distracting him, Hamlet makes suggestions about shapes in the clouds. Polonius agrees with everything he says.
Act 3 Scene 3
Hamlet And now I'll do't: and so he goes to heaven; And so am I reveng'd.
Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) enters while Claudius (John Kani) is praying, with the intention of killing him. But since Claudius is praying, he decides now isn't the right time to do it.
Act 3 Scene 4
Hamlet A bloody deed! Almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king, and marry with his brother.
Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) visits his mother Gertrude (Dorothy Ann Gould) in her bedroom. Polonius (Royston Stoffels) hides behind a panel to eavesdrop (top left of photo). Mistaking him for Claudius, Hamlet stabs him.
Hamlet I must be cruel only to be kind: Thus bad begins and worse remains behind.
Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) tells Gertrude (Dorothy Ann Gould) he regrets killing Polonius but he believes he had to do it.
Act 5 Scene 1
Gravedigger It was the very day that young Hamlet was born; he that is mad, and sent into England.
The Gravedigger (Royston Stoffels) talks to but does not recognise Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam).
Act 5 Scene 2
Hamlet Horatio, I am dead; Thou liv'st; report meand my cause aright to the unsatisfied.
Horatio (Adam Neill) supports Hamlet (Vaneshran Arumugam) who dies after he is wounded by Laertes.
Fortinbras Let four captains bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage; For he was likely, had he been put on, To have prov'd most royally.
Just before he dies, Hamlet announces that he wishes Fortinbras to be king of Denmark. Fortinbras (Mbulelo Grootboom) then arrives, pays tribute to Hamlet and arranges a suitable funeral.
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