Where's A Shakespeare Jukebox When You Need One?
Shakespeare will only become irrelevant if ...
This article is something of a wander. It began with the intention of exploring interpretation—specifically, what an actor brings to life through the choices they make. It started with a simple sketch I stumbled upon, where eight actors and one King playfully deliver different interpretations of the same line. One by one each actor emphasizes a different word, revealing a new layer and pushing the meaning of the sentence in a different direction.
As I searched for the sketch on YouTube, I stumbled upon an interview with its creator, who explained the process and how it came to be. After watching the sketch, I wanted more. I found myself drawn to different interpretations of the entire soliloquy. Two of these are included below.
Finally, I meandered into the last video—and a question: do we use Shakespeare in our everyday lives, perhaps without even realizing it? I was astonished to see a modern audience, suspended and holding their breath so completely that ‘you could hear a pin drop,’ as Dame Judi Dench recited a relatively unknown Shakespeare sonnet on a talk show.
All these videos follow below.
Today is January 26, 2025. Hamlet was written in 1599-1601 and first published in 1605. What is it about Shakespeare that still has the power today? or What is is about theatre that give Shakespeare power today?
To Be or Not to Be, That is The Question.
Ten words, eight actors and one King.
This is like a mini masterclass in interpretation, a reminder that every actor is also a translator, not just of words but of emotion, context, and humanity. The same text, in different hands, becomes existential, defiant, tender, or absurd. None of these interpretations are wrong. That’s the magic of performance: it’s as much about the actor’s choices as it is about the playwright’s genius.
The RSC ‘Shakespeare Live’ sketch:
Behind the scenes, the process of writing the sketch:
But beneath this comedy lies a profound truth: meaning is not fixed. Like science, where truth pursued, in Art meaning moves too. It lives and breathes, shaped by voice, timing, perspective and context. In the hands of good actors, Shakespeare’s line becomes not just a question of being, but of seeing—through their eyes, their experiences, their choices and their times.
The full soliloquy by two very different actors. (There are plenty more on Youtube.)
Paapa Essiedu:
Andrew Scott:
Perhaps that’s why we keep coming back to Shakespeare. His words are timeless, but it’s the infinite ways we bring them to life that keep them alive.
Dame Judy Dench:
Shakespeare will only become irrelevant if ...
If you ask me, my answer would be: only if we run out of imagination.
• • •
Footnote:
The cover image of two Hamlet posters illustrates imagination and interpretation of visual artists. It is from a book by Mirko Ilic and Steven Heller, old friends from my days working with Milton Glaser on 32nd Street. I have a copy if you would like to explore more.
p.s. Shakespeare and Hamlet are in my mind since Weaver Academy’s hilarious production of the musical “Something Rotten” in spring of 2024. I had never come across the musical before. It was brilliant. Very clever and very funny. I do hope to get to see it again!