Winter chastened, me thinks perhaps to see a show.
Paper unfurled. Ahha. STC’s my way to go.
The canon perhaps is my classic desire
An offering to stoke the deadening fire.
The very thing I chance to spy?
A Hamlet. Now that will make one’s spirits fly.
Swiftly to Seymour get I and mine.
Horrors! What hell is this I darkly opine.
Children. Millions of them fill up the place,
In avoiding the noise up the stairs we do race.
Yet more horror up here hemmed in by the small
No solace escape of their excitable roar.
Who dares to make the Bard accessible?
Surely their parents aren’t responsible!
Program scan gives we the answer true.
The Listies. Oh they are a heady two
To update the ghost and castles and people
With zombies and skidmarks and a space nunnery steeple.
One hour later and I stand well converted
To humour as torture with sore sides ahurted.
Warmed by laughter and silly string with joy ascended
And our outdated staidness all but upended,
We head to the foyer amidst chatter and revels
To get us a selfie with those Shakespearsian devils.
Beg, borrow, no stealing! a child of acquaintance
To share in this Hamlet for youngest engagement.
‘Twil tickle the funny bone both for the grown-up
And the grownup who hasn’t exactilly grown up.
Not to mention the kids and their heartfelt enjoyment
Of silliness laced with education aforethought.
HAMLET: PRINCE OF SKIDMARK from The Listies (Matt Kelly and Richard Higgins, joined by Courtney Stewart) and Sydney Theatre Company [Facebook] and the Seymour Centre [Facebook] until July 22 when it moves to Riverside Theatres from July 25th.
