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Tom Stoppard鈥檚 classic play turns 鈥楬amlet鈥� inside out

罢丑别听鈥檚 60th season continues with 鈥�,鈥� a critically听acclaimed 1966 play by Tom Stoppard. CSF鈥檚 producing artistic director听听directs the production.

In this hilarious and mind-bending comedy by the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Shakespeare in Love," "Hamlet" is brilliantly retold through the eyes of two minor characters. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two bewildered schoolmates sent to pull the Danish royal out of a descent into madness, grapple with fate, free will and the game of life.

In a unique twist, CSF will present 鈥淩osencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead鈥� in repertory with 鈥淗amlet鈥� on the indoor University Theatre stage. The sets complement each other well, and the two plays share one cast, with each actor playing the same role in both productions.

鈥淭he feeling we're going for is that 鈥楬amlet鈥� is happening just on the other side of the curtain, just around the corner,鈥� Orr says. 鈥淚 thought it would be a fascinating artistic journey not only for the actors but also for the audiences who will see both plays.鈥�

The 鈥淩osencrantz & Guildenstern鈥� set, Orr explains, transports the audience to a backstage-like area where the title characters while away the hours flipping coins and playing cards as the events of Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淗amlet鈥� unfold in shadows behind a large cyclorama.

But for all its 鈥淗amlet鈥� references, Stoppard鈥檚 play is a very different animal. The language will feel more familiar to a contemporary audience, and the play is more comedy than tragedy. The pair of title characters, played by beloved Colorado clowns听听补苍诲听, delivers an endless supply of intelligent banter and 鈥淲ho鈥檚 on first?鈥�-style routines reminiscent of Abbott and Costello or Martin and Lewis.

鈥淲hen you plop this humor into the context of something as heavy and serious as 鈥楬amlet,鈥� it can be just ridiculous fun,鈥� Orr says. 鈥淎t the same time, it鈥檚 very chilling, since the title of the play gives away exactly what鈥檚 going to happen to the characters.鈥�

Orr says designing this play alongside 鈥淗amlet鈥� director听听was like 鈥減laying a game of three-dimensional chess.鈥� They鈥檝e both had to consider each other鈥檚 plays to make sure the two work together in repertory. Props must be strategically placed for the sake of continuity, and each cast member must treat every exit like an entrance to someplace else.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to put little Easter eggs into each other鈥檚 plays for audiences who will see both of them,鈥� Orr says. 鈥淲e want people to think, 鈥業f I听could just lean over far enough, I could catch the other play.鈥欌��

While a fresh viewing of Shakespeare鈥檚 masterpiece heightens the humor in 鈥淩osencrantz & Guildenstern,鈥� Orr assures audiences that they need not know 鈥淗amlet鈥� or Shakespeare to enjoy the witty wordplay and hilarious misunderstandings in this production.听

鈥淎t its heart,鈥� he says, 鈥渋t's a story about two ordinary guys trying their best to navigate through life, just like the rest of us.鈥�

鈥淩osencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead鈥� opens Saturday, July 22, with an audience preview on Friday, July 21, and runs through Aug. 13.听Tickets start at $20, and limited quantities remain. Buy them听online at听, over the phone at 303-492-8008 or in person at the CU Presents box office, 972 Broadway, Boulder. The box office is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located in the University Club building on the CU Boulder campus.