Performing Low to High

Around the world Hamlet has been interpreted in different ways depending on its location, cast and director. After listening to the podcast "218: Act V" of The American Life, I realized the importance of the interpretation. The podcast talks about the production of The Missouri State Penitentiary who, based on the intimacy the actors (inmates) have on the material, produced one of the best interpretations ever. The actors, are really criminals who have committed violent crimes and play the roles of men who execute crimes as well. It is this situation that makes the production sincere because its actors identify with their roles while meditating on society and morality.

Performing is an art of expression. The  Missouri State Penitentiary production is a literal representation of this statement. Character in the play are more realistic because of their similarity to the actor. Johnson, one of the Hamlet's interpreters claims to relate with the character's "Idea of wanting to hurt someone." Others like Word who plays Laertes are naturals at playing the bad guy because it is what they have been doing throughout their life in order to impress people. However, perhaps the most striking moment of the play was Evan's confession of Claudius' murder since it was an actual apologetic "speech to g-d." Relating to their characters' situations gave the actors an advantage over any professional in the world. They had, like no other, experience to guide them when performing. This type of advantage is rare, but it is what makes true artists legitimate. 

The process of the play as a whole worked as a therapeutic session for the inmates. It showed "Big Hutch" that he didn't have to always be the "Big Whale." He got the role of Horatio who is ironically a "guppy" who assists and follows others. Even though he got a small part, his performance of a single line was the highlight of the night. Likewise, he learned that small parts in life (like Horatio)  can have a monumental impact. The prisoners ego and power ambition was immediately lowered by the relative humiliation they experience in acting. Edgar stated that participating in the play made him "makes us feel human." Jones' life conception was also altered by "taking him to be insane for a day." This type of insanity can be related to Hamlet's where its sole purpose is self protection from society. Changing perspectives opens the inmates' minds to other alternatives in life. It shows them another way to live and think where manipulation and aggression for power are not included. 

Despite having to deal with different crisis, following the prison's procedures, and  horrible steamy weather, the production was a great success. Not only as an entertainment but as a positive influence to the group members. Its prosperity is displayed in the example of Manuel, an inmate who had been released 2 weeks before the presentation but decided to stay until the end. As tempting as freedom is, the production's influence was more impacting. It proved to the inmates that there is a possibility of moving from the "lowest point in life" to the "highest" with a simple change of perspective.