HAMLET: A 15-MINUTE STAGE ADAPTATION

Scene 1: The Ghost Appears

Setting: The battlements of Elsinore Castle.

Narrator:

"On the cold battlements of Elsinore Castle, late at night, guards keep watch. Suddenly, a
ghostly figure appears—the spirit of the recently deceased King Hamlet. The guards, terrified,
stare in disbelief. They decide to inform the king’s son, Prince Hamlet, of this ominous sighting."

- The ghost of King Hamlet appears, shrouded in mist.

- Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo react in fear and awe.

- The ghost beckons them, and they exit hurriedly, determined to tell Prince Hamlet.

Scene 2: Court of Elsinore

Setting: The royal court.

Narrator:

"In the royal court of Denmark, the new King Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, celebrates his recent
marriage to Queen Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. But Hamlet is not rejoicing. Still dressed in
mourning, he grieves his father’s death and feels betrayed by his mother’s quick remarriage to
his uncle."

- King Claudius, recently crowned, and Queen Gertrude celebrate their marriage.

- Hamlet, dressed in black, mourns his father’s death and shows his disgust at the festivities.

- Claudius addresses the court, acting regal, while Hamlet glares in disdain.

- Hamlet exits, isolated and lost in thought.

Scene 3: Ghost’s Revelation

Setting: The battlements again.

Narrator:
"The ghost returns, this time to Prince Hamlet. It reveals a dreadful truth: Hamlet’s father was
murdered by Claudius, who poured poison in his ear while he slept. The ghost pleads with
Hamlet to avenge his death, setting the young prince on a path of vengeance."

- Hamlet meets the ghost of his father.

- The ghost gestures to Hamlet, revealing Claudius’s crime: the murder by poison.

- Hamlet reacts with shock and fury. He swears revenge as the ghost fades.

Scene 4: Hamlet’s “Madness”

Narrator:

"Hamlet, tormented by the revelation, begins to act as if he has lost his mind. His strange
behavior disturbs the court. Polonius, the king’s advisor, believes Hamlet’s madness is caused
by his love for Ophelia, Polonius’s daughter."

- Hamlet enters, pretending to be mad. His actions are erratic, alternating between sadness and
wild gestures.

- Polonius observes, convinced Hamlet’s madness is due to love for Ophelia.

- Ophelia watches Hamlet with concern as he behaves strangely toward her.

Scene 5: The Play within the Play

Setting: A small stage at Elsinore.

Narrator:

"To confirm Claudius’s guilt, Hamlet devises a plan. He stages a play that mirrors the murder of
his father, hoping Claudius will betray his guilt. The court watches, unaware of Hamlet’s intent."

- Hamlet arranges a play reenacting his father’s murder to gauge Claudius's reaction.

- Actors mime the poisoning of a king.

- Claudius rises suddenly, agitated, confirming Hamlet’s suspicions.

"Claudius’s reaction is all the proof Hamlet needs. Claudius is guilty. But Hamlet’s path is far
from clear, and his rage grows."
- Hamlet is triumphant, certain now of Claudius’s guilt.

Scene 6: Hamlet Confronts Gertrude

Setting: Gertrude’s chamber.

Narrator:

"Later, Hamlet confronts his mother, Queen Gertrude, in her chambers. He accuses her of
betraying his father’s memory by marrying Claudius. As Hamlet’s anger intensifies, the ghost
appears again, urging Hamlet to control his rage. Gertrude, unaware of the ghost, looks on
helplessly."

- Hamlet confronts Gertrude, accusing her of betrayal and being complicit with Claudius.

- He is intense, showing anger and frustration.

- The ghost appears again, but only Hamlet sees it, gesturing for calmness.

- Hamlet tries to make Gertrude see her moral blindness.

Scene 7: Ophelia’s Madness and Death

Setting: The castle gardens by a stream.

Narrator:

"Ophelia, overwhelmed by Hamlet’s rejection and the death of her father Polonius, descends
into madness. She wanders the castle gardens, singing to herself, scattering flowers as she
loses touch with reality. In her despair, she drowns in a nearby stream."

- Ophelia, now mad, wanders, singing and scattering flowers.

- She seems lost, overcome with grief over her father Polonius’s death and Hamlet’s rejection.

- Ophelia climbs a willow tree and falls into the stream, floating for a moment before sinking.

Scene 8: Laertes’s Return and Duel

Narrator:
"Ophelia’s death drives her brother, Laertes, into a rage. He returns from France, demanding
revenge on Hamlet, whom he blames for the deaths of both his father and sister. Claudius, ever
the manipulator, persuades Laertes to duel Hamlet, with a poisoned sword, ensuring Hamlet’s
demise."

- Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, returns from France, enraged over Polonius’s death and Ophelia’s
demise.

- Claudius manipulates Laertes into challenging Hamlet to a duel.

- Claudius and Laertes plot to poison the sword and a cup of wine.

Scene 9: The Duel and Tragedy

Setting: A hall prepared for the duel.

Narrator:

"The day of the duel arrives. Hamlet and Laertes face each other, ready to fight. The court
watches in suspense. But the duel takes a deadly turn. Laertes wounds Hamlet with the
poisoned blade. In the chaos, Queen Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup meant for Hamlet,
and she collapses."

- Hamlet and Laertes duel before the court.

- Both fight intensely.

- Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup, unaware.

- Laertes wounds Hamlet with the poisoned sword. Hamlet, in the scuffle, wounds Laertes.

- Gertrude collapses from the poison.

Narrator:

"As Laertes falls, mortally wounded by Hamlet, he reveals the truth—Claudius is the one behind
all this treachery. Hamlet, in a final act of vengeance, stabs Claudius and forces him to drink the
poison. Claudius dies, and Hamlet, too, succumbs to his wounds."

- Laertes, dying, reveals Claudius’s treachery.

- Hamlet, enraged, stabs Claudius and forces him to drink the poisoned wine.

- Claudius dies, and Hamlet collapses, dying in Horatio’s arms.

Setting: The castle.

Narrator:

"As Hamlet takes his final breaths, his friend Horatio mourns him. Fortinbras, a foreign prince,
arrives with his army, finding the royal family in ruins. He orders that Hamlet be carried out with
honor, as a soldier who fought valiantly."

- Fortinbras’s army arrives, and he enters the hall.

- He surveys the scene of death, with the bodies of Hamlet, Gertrude, Claudius, and Laertes.

- Horatio, the last remaining witness, stands over Hamlet’s body, mourning him.

- Fortinbras orders Hamlet’s body to be carried out like a soldier, signifying respect.

Narrator:

"And so ends the tragic tale of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, whose quest for revenge brought
only destruction to himself and all those around him."

The stage darkens as Hamlet’s body is carried away.