Polonius: Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.
Reynaldo: I will, my lord.
Polonius: You shall do marvelous wisely, good Reynaldo, Before you visit him, to make inquire Of his behavior.
Reynaldo: My lord, I did intend it
Polonius: Marry, well said, very well said. Look you, sir, Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris; And how, and who, what means, and...
Susie: What the heck is this guy even saying?
Rudy: Susie!
Production had been going well in the week since Rudy's play-depression. Progress was being made, either through guilt or by buying people off with the roles they desired. Susie however, was still being troublesome.
Susie: He just goes on and on... like, we get it dude.
Rudy: He's meant to be ridiculous, funny. A comedic relief.
Susie: People thought this was funny?
Berdly: Dear Susie, I understand how this may not appeal to your, ahem, developed humour. But this is the very foundations upon which our humour is built upon! We must study and revere the old masters, understand their ways.
Susie: I can't wait until the part where I kill you.
Berdly: Well, if you bothered to read the script Laertes, then you know that Hamlet takes you to the grave with him! So a-ha!
Rudy: We're never going to get to that scene if you people keep interrupting! Eugh, I need to take a load off, take five.
The cast and crew scattered and dispersed upon Rudy's announcement, while Rudy himself rose from his chair to get more coffee from the faculty lounge.
Noelle: Y-Y'know Kris, this is all a lot more stressful than I thought it would be...
Kris nods, taking off their headset and descending from the light booth.
Noelle: I don't know why I asked my dad if I could be Ophelia.. I-I've never even acted in anything before! And now we only have three weeks to go...
Kris places a reassuring hand on Noelle's shoulder, comforting the nervous doe.
Noelle: Thanks Kris. Dad told me what happens and, I mean, it sounded so cool! But me and Susie, I mean, Laertes, we don't even share too many scenes! Instead I'm mostly with...
Berdly: Why, me of course! Ophelia is to be Hamlet's betrothed, you know.
Kris is nowhere to be found, as Noelle finds Berdly behind her.
Noelle: You have uh, read the play right?
Berdly: Of course, of course, their love is one that finds itself a tragic end. But indeed! It proves how deeply Ophelia cared for Hamlet, that his (supposed) madness sends her over as it does. If she truly became as mad as he, or perhaps feigned as he does, is it not so romantic that the two are as sane as one another?
Noelle: Uh... Ophelia dies...
Berdly: As does Hamlet, which is of course where the tragedy comes in the romance.
Susie: Still looking forward to that.
Berdly: Susie, Susie Susie Susie, I really do admire you, you know. Going out of your comfort zone as a brute and a fiend to take part in a dramatic production such as this.
Susie: Actually Noelle's dad made me...
Berdly:..but when the time for our duel comes, I worry. Because I'm unsure if you will be able to keep up with my nimble feet!
Noelle: I don't think that's how acting works...
Susie: Whatever Noelle, let him talk. Don't worry, I'll be sure to avenge your death.
Noelle: T-Thanks...
Rudy: That's the goal here you see. Well, one of the goals. I want to use this play to try and bring out some emotions from my daughter.
Rudy and Toriel watch the kids from the hall, coffee in hand.
Toriel: And how is that?
Rudy: You see, the play's the thing. Susie needing to react to Noelle's death, Noelle to Susie's. I love my little girl, but, she isn't a world class actor by any means. And don't get me started on that friend of hers.
Torriel sighs, eyeing her child, and taking another sip of her drink.
Toriel: You could not have devised something simpler than this? Something more... direct?
Rudy: C'mon, you have kids, you know how they are.
Toriel nods.
Rudy: Besides, I need to be really careful. Not just about how my daughter feels, but about how Susie does.
Toriel: Is it carefulness, or indecisiveness?
Rudy: Maybe a bit of both.
