Act Before You Speak,

the Tragic History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark opens in New York 

  • Directed by Stockholm based Hedvig Claesson. Photo: Karolina Olson Haglund
  • Act Before You Speak,
    the Tragic History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, directed by Swedish Hedvig Claesson opens in New York this week.
    Two women and a violinist perform Hamlet in 70 minutes, without speaking a word. The simple truths of every-day life bear out the tragic story of love, grief, and madness in an incredibly intimate setting. Written by Glascock Prize winner Alexandra Zelman- Doring, the show features a live performance of original music by a renowned group of international composers and an innovative set by emerging artist Jeffrey Landman. The dialogue between the set design, music and architecture transforms the space into both a sanctuary and prison.

  • Alexandra Zelman-Doring and Marie Godeau. Still from Throes Theatre film clip of the play 'Act Before You Speak' / www.throestheater.com
  • The audience will hear Hamlet like never before from the all-female cast. The play is directed by Hedvig Claesson, whose earlier work has been performed at Stockholm City Theatre, National Touring Theatre and Strindberg’s Intima Theatre. Claesson is renowned for her production of Franz Kroetz’s Request Programme, a one-woman play that investigates womanhood and suicide through silent drama (Siris Original Theatre. With 'Act Before You Speak' she continues to investigate these themes by finding, in the world’s most beautifully written role, a new, unspeakable beauty.

  • Alexandra Zelman-Doring, 2008 first-prize winner of the Glascock Poetry Prize. Still from Throes Theatre film clip of the play 'Act Before You Speak' / www.throestheater.com
  • The play in New York stars Alexandra Zelman-Doring, Marie Godeau and Ana Milosavljevic. Jeffrey Landman created the set design. Alexandra Zelman-Doring wrote the script in collaboration with Ada Gafter O’Higgins and Jeffrey Landman. The work features original music by Jiri Kaderabek, Mahir Cetiz and Ana Milosavljevic.

  • Opening at The Flea Theatre the premiere is slated for Friday, August 3rd. All tickets are only $20, with Tuesdays by donation. More information on the Throes Theater group setting up the play.