A fast-paced, laugh-out-loud, ghost-filled comedy is next up on San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre’s main stage May 2-18.
I Hate Hamlet by Paul Rudnick brings together Shakespeare, stage fright, sword fighting—and the ghost of a legendary actor.
Ben Abbott and Billy Breed star—the former as a hotshot television star who relocates to New York to play the title role in one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, and the latter as the ghost of John Barrymore, the greatest Hamlet of all time. Madison Shaheen, Jeremy Helgeson, Dori Duke, and Patty Thayer round out the cast.
Michael Gros directs this mix of highbrow drama and outrageous comedy, perfect for both Shakespeare aficionados and theatre newcomers alike.
“I Hate Hamlet is a love letter to the theatre wrapped in a smart, hilarious script,” according to SLO Rep Managing Artistic Director Kevin Harris. “It’s about artistic integrity, taking risks, and believing in yourself—even when a ghost is telling you what to do.”