To butcher, or not to butcher?
That was the question for Chris Qualls, who wrote the adaptation and is directing Auburn Theatre's production of "99-Minute Butchered Rock & Roll Boombox Hamlet."
"It's highly edited," Qualls said. "I savagely butchered it, but it still retains the same story and characters. It's more like a modern film adaptation of the play."
Qualls said the play has pop, rock and rap music accompanying the drama.
"The feeling of the piece is driving, disturbing and ultimately challenging and entertaining," Qualls said. "At times, it's a down-and-dirty battle of wits and bodies."
The play still takes place in Denmark, but the dialogue, action and characters are more current than the original.
"I wanted to use music and contemporary references in a classic play like this," Qualls said.
Eli Jolley, junior in theatre, plays Hamlet--with a Mohawk--and said the play is fast-paced and full of action.
"It gives you the nuts and bolts of the story without all the fluff and some of the subplots," Jolley said.
Jolley said he hasn't acted in many Shakespeare plays before and has been training with professors in the theatre department to get the language and dialect to feel natural.
"I really never thought I would play Hamlet," Jolley said. "I'm just blessed to be able to play him, no matter what form the play is in."
Shannon Dunlap, senior in theatre, plays Ophelia, Hamlet's love interest.
"It's a really powerful piece," Dunlap said. "Everyone's put in a lot of work, and it is just a beautiful show."
Qualls said his adaptation, while extreme, is not rare because it departs from the original text.
"Anyone who performs Hamlet does their own kind of adaptation of it," Qualls said. "You have to make choices about what to leave in and what to leave out."
Qualls said the official script of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" lasts four-and-a-half hours.
"We've created this kind of inflated version of 'Hamlet' by putting all these texts together," Qualls said. "It took about three months to edit it to the way I wanted it. I felt guilty at every cut."
Qualls said in some instances his cuts took an entire speech down to a few key words.
Jolley said the play should be unlike any other Shakespeare experience the viewers have had.
"It's just a great, amazing play," Jolley said. "It's fun and fast-paced, and there's plenty of blood. It's good for action fans, and then it's also good for people who like the beauty of the language and the struggle of the human spirit that was in Shakespeare's original play."
Dunlap said people who don't like or understand Shakespeare should come see this adaptation of what is arguably his best play.
"It's very approachable that way," Dunlap said. "It shouldn't be scary if you aren't a Shakespeare fan."
Qualls said an edited version of the play gives the actors a better chance to go into the remaining words with greater depth.
The play's remaining shows are April 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee April 16 at 10 a.m.
Tickets are free for students.
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