Over the next two weeks, you’ll be able to see two of the most significant and enduring works of Shakespeare — and thus, two of the most important plays ever written — in the basement of the Cathedral of Learning. Both are unlike any production you’ve seen before. You’ll even have the chance to see both on the same day.

Same Hamlet, More Action in These Alternative Takes on Shakespeare Classics in Pittsburgh

Producer and director Jeremy Seghers will present Hamlet: The Bad Quarto, an alternate script for the Danish tragedy, in the Cathedral’s Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre.

“It’s a fascinating artifact from Shakespearean literature,” says Brett Sullivan Santry, who will play Corambis (later renamed Polonious) in Hamlet. “It has a lot of changes and differences to it. Character names are different; the plot structure is absolutely familiar, but the scene order is different. It’s a lot more action-oriented.”

Why is it dubbed “Bad”? Various versions of Shakespeare’s plays were published in standalone printings (or quartos) during and soon after the Bard’s lifetime. Only a few survive; some, including this version of Hamlet, are markedly different from the familiar text, perhaps owing to a 16th-century version of piracy or the use of a “prompt book,” or working script, meant for specific performances.

So, no: It’s not actually bad. 

“It feels so familiar but is just so slightly different,” Santry says. “I think of it as the greatest demo track from the band you love’s favorite song.”

A Bit of the Scottish Play

In something of a miniature Shakespeare festival, Hamlet: The Bad Quarto pairs with performances of Lady Lord Macbeth, a two-person version of Shakespeare’s bloody tragedy developed by Santry and collaborator and co-star Alyssa Herron.

Santry and Herron play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in this quick and intimate adaptation, preserving the scenes shared by the ill-fated couple and little else. It’s a fascinating remix of the play, moving the focus from political machinations to a largely private relationship.

“Because they can’t have an heir, they decide to have a Scotland,” Santry says.

The pair has presented Lady Lord Macbeth at stages and non-theatrical spaces large and small throughout the region, as well as mounting it at the IRT Theater in Greenwich Village. While there’s a thrill in taking their creation on the road, Santry says they’re excited to present the show underneath the Cathedral of Learning.

“Bringing it back here to the Cathedral is a thrill — bringing it back to a theater space in the heart of the city.”

Do-It-Yourself Shakespeare

Both shows have been produced independently, without the specific backing of any established theater company or cultural institution. It’s a growing trend, Santry says.

“What we’ve found with the Pittsburgh theater climate,” he explains, “[Is that] it’s maybe a good idea to start making your own stuff and not relying on the institutions … Isn’t Macbeth an interesting metaphor in that respect?”

Hamlet: The Bad Quarto plays through two weeks during June 19-22 and 26-28. Lady Lord Macbeth takes the stage June 23-24 — and both shows perform on June 27, with Lady Lord Macbeth kicking off the drama at 2 p.m., followed by Hamlet at 8 p.m.

“I think it’s just a great opportunity to steep yourself in the very best that this particular playwright has to offer,” Santry says, “from one particular side of the multi-faceted aspect of his creative genius.”

Story by Sean Collier
Photo Courtesy of Jeremy Seghers

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