Patrick Schmitz set the mood for his second Shakespeare parody, The Comedy of Hamlet…kinda sorta, by engaging the audience in a light-hearted trivia challenge—one that surreptitiously set the crowd up for jokes during the show. He then broke down Shakespeare barriers even further by saying if we know The Lion King, then we know the story of Hamlet. The show opens with “Circle of Life” playing in the background.
The Comedy of Hamlet…kinda sorta is a showcase of Schmitz’s impeccable ability for creating playful yet respectful spoofs. Making The Bard’s storytelling accessible seems an easy feat for this playwright. He effortlessly weaves Shakespearean language into contemporary dialogue, ingeniously supplying meaning through well-executed banter. Schmitz expertly intertwines modern song, game and movie references as well, and even if a reference isn’t known, the context surrounding it keeps it funny. Additionally, a few misconceptions about the play are addressed and it is pointed out a couple times that “the Fortinbras stuff” is usually (and in this case, had been) cut out.
The cast, full of improv heavyweights, kept the audience on their toes with fast-paced quipping and engaging antics. As Hamlet, Vince Figueroa perfectly mixed the character’s melancholy and contemplative personality with sarcastic wit. There were many instances of marvelous dramatic build as well as melodramatic moments morphed into comedic ones. One of note is the famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy, in which Figueroa begins strong and then starts to stumble over the Shakespearean lines. Lines are prompted from off stage and the scene ends as a joke on the rehearsal process, with the director saying, “Know it next week,” and Figueroa scuffing his foot in disappointment that he didn’t get it this time.
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Joey Flegel-Mishlove as Horatio was priceless. He plays Hamlet’s best friend extremely well and their dynamic is quite lovely to watch. The two have many standout moments together, one being when Hamlet is berating Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (well-played by Robby McGhee and Mara McGhee respectively) and Horatio reiterates everything Hamlet says in an “in-your-face” manner.
Rich Laguna as Claudius and Beth Lewinski as Gertrude both offered enthusiastic energy. They are the epitome of dysfunctional parents who garnered many laughs with their wacky nicknames for and misunderstandings of Hamlet. Erik Koconis did a great job as the “cool dude” of the bunch (Laertes), complete with a jock getup and suitcase boasting a “no monogamy” sticker. Lindsey Walcott’s Ophelia was nutty and her emotional portrayal reached all the extremes in the best of ways. And both Kris Puddicombe, who played the laidback, chatty Ghost of Hamlet’s Father, and Lee Rowley, who showed up sporadically throughout the entire play as Francisco, played up their recurring jokes with finesse, keeping the gags fresh every time.
The show ran for one weekend only at Next Act Theatre and, though this show will unlikely return to the stage anytime soon, Schmitz says he’s working on creating a parody of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. For more information about Next Act, visit nextact.org. For more on comedy in Milwaukee, visit milwaukeecomedy.com.
