Acting In Hamlet

When an actor makes a choice, it isn’t on the fly. Even when actors improvise, they take their characters’ personalities, thoughts, and experiences into consideration. Everything is layered on top. What you may see as an audience member may not be everything that is going on onstage and in the characters head. So when I say that Ophelia in the first video was completely opposite from the Ophelia in the second video, it doesnt mean that both takes on the character don’t involve each other. It may just mean that one is layered over the other. The first Ophelia was very normal, acting like she knew best and wasn’t actually going to consider what advice her brother gave her. the second Ophelia was a little odd, acting innocent and immature. She listened to her brother intently and did the same while her father was giving her brother advice. Ophelia #2’s innocence and Ophelia #1’s confidence are both at play in both versions of scene three, it’s just that one is far more apparent than the other. When the first ophelia was joking around with her brother she exuded both confidence and innocence at the same time, while still highlighting her confidence. In the second video Ophelia was innocent and small by her actions and confident in her words. Assuring her brother that she would listen to what he was saying. All in all I would cast the first ophelia though, because the was more natural and likeable, and I feel like she goes along with the story better because she is yet another strong and assertive character, rather than the only small and innocent character.