Giving Shakespeare Some Comic Love :: Fran Weinberg on 'I Hate Hamlet'

Paul Rudnick's 1991 comedy "I Hate Hamlet" follows the travails of an actor living in a New York apartment formerly occupied by Sir John Barrymore - a living arrangement that reportedly was Rudnick's own when he wrote the play. Andrew (played in the Titanic Theatre Company's rendition by David J Hansen) has a Hamlet-like dilemma on his hands: He's landed the part of Hamlet, a plum role for many reasons, not the least of which is that his girlfriend, Dierdre (Shalyn Grow), is thrilled to have him playing the iconic part; she's the sort who prefers to wait for the wedding night to take things all the way, and you can't fault Andrew for hoping that maybe she'll bump things up a bit. Things get complicated, though, when Andrew is been offered the lead in what's sure to be a hit TV show. He can't agree to both; what to do?

Enter Barrymore's ghost (Anthony Mullin) with some sound advice... and, given that his portrayal of Hamlet was perhaps Barrymore's greatest success, you can probably guess what that advice would be. Hilarity, as the saying goes, ensues.

Since it's 2012 inaugural production of Charles Busch's "The Third Story" to last year's "The Lyons," Titanic Theatre Company has brought incisive, yet refreshingly silly, comedy to Boston stages. The tradition continues with the upcoming run of "I Hate Hamlet," directed by Fran Weinberg.

Weinberg wears more hats than a member of Actors' Shakespeare Company doing a costume drama. Acting coach, director, director of Wheelock Family Theater's intensive acting program for teens, instructor with Boston Casting... Weinberg knows theater from just about every angle. As a director she's taken a pair of IRNE Awards, for "Orpheus Descending" and "Marvin's Room," and another two of her directorial efforts - "27 Wagons Full of Cotton" and "The Lover" - garnered IRNEs for Best Ensemble.

EDGE caught up to Weinberg for a chat about her career, Rudnick's riff on a Shakespearean masterpiece, and the pride she takes in seeing her pupils forge successful careers.

EDGE: "I Hate Hamlet" has so many parallels to the play itself: The ghost of a father figure goading on an indecisive young man; a frustrated love affair; and, of course, a real dilemma that the main character has to sort out. Do have a sense of whether author Paul Rudnick was commenting on "Hamlet," deconstructing it, riffing on it, or just using it as a general template for having fun?

Fran Weinberg: The parallels of the plot of Hamlet and this contemporary comedy are absolutely an important part of this story. Rudnick is clearly paying homage to not only the Bard himself, but to all of those actors who tackle one of the most daunting roles in Shakespeare's canon of plays. It is even more ironically comic that Andrew, our hero in the play, struggles with playing this role because he shares many traits with the character of Hamlet – "life imitating art."

EDGE: Modern culture has referenced Shakespeare's canon, in much the same way Shakespeare referenced earlier works for his own plays, but what's the appeal to getting so meta about this particular play, such that we're getting comedies like "I Hate Hamlet" and "Noir Hamlet," and even "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead?"

Fran Weinberg: I think that the play has all of the elements of a modern soap opera: Romance, danger, betrayal, and Hamlet's struggles are relatable to many people, for different reasons. Hamlet wrestles with the universal questions of life and death, and as his girlfriend Deirdre says in the play, "just tries to do what's right, despite impossible odds." I think we all aspire to do that!

EDGE: Let's talk about you! You've run Wheelock Family Theatre's Teen Advanced Performance Intensive Acting Program for over a decade, and you're a busy acting coach. Has your experience in that arena informed your success as the director of many acclaimed productions ("Orpheus Descending," "Frankie and Jonny in the Claire de Lune," and lots more)?

Fran Weinberg: Absolutely! As a full-time acting coach and teacher, I am working with actors full-time and I love and respect them and their process. I like to think that I am an "actors director," and have developed multiple ways of communicating with a variety of actors of all ages, as I guide them to make discoveries. I have a vision and goals for the play and each of the characters, and love nothing more than to explore all of the possibilities in the rehearsal room and see where the actors go with this!

EDGE: You're also an audition coach... let's have a quick aside and talk about that. Does auditioning entail a much different approach to acting than what one does once one has been cast in a role?

Fran Weinberg: The challenging part about auditioning is having to show what you are capable of in a short amount of time. You need to show your own personality as someone people would want to work with, as well as convey a quick glimpse of your acting talent. It is a challenge for many actors. Because I wear two hats as an acting coach and a director, when I hold auditions, after the initial monologues or readings, I always ask actors to make adjustments to see what they can do, and spend time with them to see how they work with me. I want to know more about them, and give them a chance to show what they can do. Many actors at these auditions have shared that they really appreciated that, as it does not happen at most auditions.

EDGE: Would you maybe talk about one or two of the pupils you've had over the years who went on to accomplish things you took some pride in?

Fran Weinberg: First of all, I am proud that actors who work with me are able to actually be "working actors" – this in and of itself is an amazing achievement in this challenging and competitive field, and I am thrilled that I have played a role in! To name a few, I have coached and directed a wonderful actor named Jonathan Silver, who is living and working New York City and made his film debut with Ed Norton in "Leap of Faith." I am extremely proud of an actress that I met and worked with when she was in high school, Tess Primack, who majored in theatre at Carnegie Mellon, went on to New York City to pursue her career, and after many auditions and callbacks, ended up in the Broadway revival of "Fiddler on the Roof." Seeing her in this show in person, being with her backstage, as she made her debut on Broadway realizing her dreams, after a decade of knowing and training her, was thrilling and very emotional.

EDGE: How did you come to be director for this production?

Fran Weinberg: I have known some members of the Titanic team for years and I have directed them in various productions, including "The House of Blue Leaves," "Marvin's Room," "Dancing Downstream," and "Orpheus Descending." They asked me to direct their show in last year's Boston Theatre Marathon, and I am delighted to be directing this production for them.

EDGE: From your own perspective, how does "I Hate Hamlet" inform Shakespeare for today's audiences?

Fran Weinberg: This play looks at Shakespeare from both perspectives–the actors and the audience, and takes a very funny and honest look at those who do not have a passion for Shakespeare but are afraid to admit it! For those who are not familiar with the play or are fans of Shakespeare, it is a great introduction to the play and what it is all about.

EDGE: As a director, are you looking to preserve some of the original play's tragic sensibilities? Or is this all about letting loose and having fun?

Fran Weinberg: This play is a fun comic romp that shows how our hero's life imitates Hamlet's, and how he faces his fears to tackle this daunting role. Unlike "Hamlet," this play ends with some hope and shows Andrew discovering who he is and what he really wants – we have a happy ending! I think in these times we are in we all need to see more plays with happy endings!

EDGE: Tell me about your cast. David J. Hansen plays Andrew, and Anthony Mullin plays Barrymore. Assuming you were the main player in the casting process, did you start that process with these roles? Also, what were you looking for in casting these parts?

Fran Weinberg: These two roles you mention are key to telling this story, absolutely, but all of the roles are important, as this is an ensemble piece. This ensemble bonded immediately, really enjoy working together, and are willing to play and try anything – it is a joy to work with them! The dynamic between Andrew and Barrymore is extremely important, as we need to feel both the conflict and the connection between this "ghostly mentor" and his student, a sitcom television actor who comes from a very different world. Both David and Anthony are wonderful "sparring partners" and are comfortable delving into the comedy and the physicality needed, as well as the pathos of these characters. It is a challenge to play a theatrical legend and Anthony rises to this challenge. David as our hero is extremely likable and empathetic while having a great sense of comedy. This play is also a sweet and unusual love story, and Shalyn Grow and David have a wonderful playful chemistry and she brings a beautiful quirky passion to the role of Deirdre.

EDGE: How about the other roles? Did you go in with actors already in mind, or was it more a matter of seeing who showed up and hoping for the right chemistry?

Fran Weinberg: There are two actors in the cast I had worked with before: Anthony Mullin, whom I had directed in "Art" at Arts After Hours. He auditioned along with several actors interested in the role of Barrymore. The other is Titanic company member Shelley Brown, whom I had directed in "The House of Blue Leaves" and "Marvin's Room." She plays Lillian Troy, Andrew's agent, and Barrymore's old flame from many years ago. It is a very interesting role and very different than what we have worked on together in the past, and it has been so great to work with her again on this project.

EDGE: Did the people running Titanic Theatre Company give you a particular sense for why they chose this play or outline parameters for how it should fit their vision?

Fran Weinberg: The Titanic folks asked me to look at a few scripts they were considering, which I did, but they also asked if I had any suggestions. They wanted to do a fast-paced, physical comedy that would appeal to a variety of audiences. I have known and worked with monologues and scenes from this play, and it is has been on my "wish list" as a director for a long time, so I suggested it to them. I read it out loud with the producing team and I was thrilled when they chose to produce it!

EDGE: What other projects do you have coming up?

Fran Weinberg: Right now, I am busy preparing to direct my twelfth summer Teen Advanced Performance Intensive Program at Wheelock Family Theatre @BU. It is a very exciting and demanding acting training program and we delve into some amazing theatrical material and challenge rising teen actors to "raise the bar." I will be teaching my classes at Boston Casting, and coaching my private students and running monthly acting workshops in Boston. I am always looking for my next exciting freelance directing project!

"I Hate Hamlet" runs May 31 – June 15 at the Boston Center for the Arts. For tickets and more information, please go to http://titanictheatre.weebly.com/up-next.html