Minneapolis' famed Guthrie Theater is about to celebrate its 60th anniversary. WCCO's Laura Oakes goes behind the scenes of Hamlet, where even the sword-fighting is choreographed down to the last step to ensure the actors' safety.
It's an hour before show time. The seats are empty, and the actors are running through their daily “fight call”.
“It’s a certain kind of, almost dance, and we want to make sure we’re knowing what moves to hit when,” says fight captain and actor Daniel Petzold.
Petzold is coaching a sword-fighting scene between the actors who play Hamlet and his foil, Laertes. They do this daily so it almost becomes automatic once the adrenaline is flowing before a live audience.
“And we have to make sure we’re thinking about, not just what are my limbs doing, but also what am I trying to inflict on the other person, so there’s a logic to the fight,” Petzold explains.
The show is considered one of the greatest revenge tragedies of all time. The powerful family drama examines grief, loyalty, familial relationships, ambition and romance, inviting the audience to grapple with some of life’s most existential questions.
Hamlet holds a special place in the Guthrie’s history. This is the Guthrie’s fifth staging of the Shakespeare classic, and Joseph Haj is the fourth artistic director to helm the production.
Hamlet runs at the Guthrie Theater through May 8th. Tickets are available and prices run from $20 to $80.