Act Three
Act
Three Scene Two
Sub
Scene Five
“De
play! De play! De Play!” (borrowed from Fantasy Island and replaced with the
play instead of a plane.)
The
players ran on the stage and not a whimper from them
“Why
are the players all moving about on the stage? Is that acting?” A servant
asked.
“As
we do in the kitchen to each our chore yet you all roar in chorus.” The chef de
sous said. “It’s I who does not speak but let my taste assails my tongue.”
“Not
the day we caught a rat in your pot.” Another servant cut in.
“Hush
there, young Sullivan or it will be your tongue I will dip as part of the
sauce.” The chef felt indignified in his work area. “I did tell the Main Chef
and he offers me a mousetrap. I to bend down to the menial task degrades my
profession.”
The
players assembled on the stage and then they raised their right index finger to
their lips, to display the silence required.
“It’s
a dumb show. I had seen in the market square.” The one who spoke was hushed by
the others.
The dumb show raged the stage with fast movements
while an actor narrates from the rear. Or none. Mime was an expression of the
mind with its witty limbs movements and facial expression. If a picture tells a
thousand words, the mime could tell the whole tale without a voice.
“Enter
a King and a Queen, very lovingly, the Queen embracing him and he of her.” Two
players, expected to be a couple, hugged each other.
“She kneels and makes a show of protestation
unto him. He takes her up and declines his head upon her neck.” The lady had
much to complain about or fret about their moods as known to many. Marital woes
it was named.
“The
King lies him down upon a bank of flowers.” The man ever tired of the consoling
takes his rest.
“She,
seeing him asleep, leaves him.” House chores aplenty, and he had his session of
her mouthful.
But…
“Anon
comes in another man, approaches the King.” The actor at rest was unaware.
“The
other takes off his crown, and kisses it”, Paying the due respect on the throne
beholden. The standing actor then takes something from the tunic and waved it
to the audience. It was a vial.
“The
one resting was poured the content from the vial. It went into the ears and left
there.”
“The
King woken from his sleep held his ears and shook his head. The one who did
sneaks to the rear.” By then the guests were stunned by the act while the plot
unfolds.
“The
Queen returned and finds the King dead. His body lain unmoving while she makes
passionate action. The poisoner with some three or four come in again, seem to condole
with her. The dead body is carried away. The poisoner woos the Queen with
gifts. She seems harsh awhile but in the end, accepts his love.”
“The
end of the mime.” The player called out. “The real act then begins.”
The
players all went to the rear. Ophelia, ever the chaste asked of the Prince.
“What
means this, my lord? I have not attended many plays to know it all.” Ophelia
asked if they do get the spoilers of the play.
“Dearest
me, this alike to ‘miching-mallecho”? Hamlet used his fingers to move on his
left knee of Ophelia.
“O’atrt
you, Hamlet? It’s rude.” Ophelia brushed the hands off her knee. “We are not
like before.”
“I
know. It was the feeling then. It means sneaking in mischief. It’s a play
expression.” Hamlet whispered. “We shall know by this fellow. The players
cannot keep counsel; they’ll tell all.”
“Will
you tell all about our past? What does this show mean?” Ophelia asked.
“Ay,
or any show that needed to be told. Be not you ashamed to show, I’ll not
shame to tell you what it means.”
“You
are naught, you are naught. Telling me nothing of nothing if ever there be
anything. I’ll mark the play by myself.:
Hamlet
smiled at Ophelia.
An
intermission was called and the players withdraw to the rear, while one player
with the broom steps out.
“Away
with the deceits, and now we will tell you what’s it about?”
The
audience clapped.
“Does
that mean we get singers now?” A servant asked.
“Or
do we prance like demons around the fireplace, to bring forth the devil to
life?” Another servant roared.
“Sullivan,
one more quip, and you get quitted for good.” The Head Chef was annoyed. It
went into a stint of murmurings among the servants but Hamlet was in his
excellent mode.
“The
intermission to the mime and the real play now be performed.” Hamlet declared
soon after he stood up. “Do you feel the beat in your heart, perhaps your mind?
Does it beat any realism that you may know?”
“What
cannot you and I perform upon the unguarded Duncan? What not put upon his
spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt Of our great quell?” Hamlet went into
his acting mode and quoted from Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7.
“The
play shall tell.” Hamlet sat back at Ophelia’s side.
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