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Male Monologue From I HATE HAMLET by Paul Rudnick

In 'I HATE HAMLET' by Paul Rudnick, Andrew Rally, a TV star, grapples with his performance of Hamlet, feeling disconnected and inadequate. During a pivotal soliloquy, he unexpectedly captivates the audience, realizing for a brief moment what it means to embody the character. However, this moment of clarity is fleeting, and he is quickly overwhelmed by self-doubt again.

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Gabriel Meyer
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2K views1 page

Male Monologue From I HATE HAMLET by Paul Rudnick

In 'I HATE HAMLET' by Paul Rudnick, Andrew Rally, a TV star, grapples with his performance of Hamlet, feeling disconnected and inadequate. During a pivotal soliloquy, he unexpectedly captivates the audience, realizing for a brief moment what it means to embody the character. However, this moment of clarity is fleeting, and he is quickly overwhelmed by self-doubt again.

Uploaded by

Gabriel Meyer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

From I HATE HAMLET by Paul Rudnick

A huge New York apartment is haunted by the ghost of John Barrymore. Its
new tenant, ANDREW RALLY, a TV star in his late twenties, is persuaded
by Barrymore to play Hamlet in Central Park. After the first performance,
ANDREW analyzes his performance.

ANDREW
Last night, I knew from the start I was bombing. I sounded phony, real thee
and thou and then I started rushing it hi, what’s new in Denmark? I just
couldn’t connect. I couldn’t get a hold of it. And while I’m…babbling, I
look out and there’s this guy in the second row, a kid, like 16, obviously
dragged there. And he’s yawning and he’s jiggling his legs and reading his
program and I just wanted to say, hey kid, I’m with you – I can’t stand this
either! But I couldn’t do that, so I just kept feeling worse and worse, just
drowning.
And I thought, okay, all my questions are answered – I’m not Hamlet, I’m
no actor, what am I doing here? And then I get to the soliloquy, the big job,
I’m right in the headlights, and I just thought oh Christ, the hell with it, just
do it!
To be or not to be, that is the question;
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
or to take arms against a sea of troubles
and by opposing, end them.
And I kept, going, I finish the speech, and I look out and there’s the kid –
and he’s listening. The whole audience – complete silence – total focus.
And I was Hamlet. And it lasted about ten more seconds, and then I was
back in Hell. And I stayed there. But for that one little bit – that one speech
– I got it. I had it. Hamlet. And only eight thousand mores lines to go.

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