Author By Chance

Seven; One may play the role of Hamlet, even if oneself is a female

The sounds of hormonal teenage chatter fill my ears as my Drama teacher leaves the room to deal with a pressing family issue. I really like my Drama class, this class not only brought me happiness but it also made my confidence soar. Not to forget that I owe this subject for my ever blooming creative mindset.

The play that my Drama class are practicing this semester is Shakespeare's play Hamlet. A play that I am all too familiar with, especially since I am a big fan of Shakespeare's works.

Currently there was a debate going on about the people who should play the roles in this play and most of my classmates are saying that all roles should be given to the gender of that role. In my opinion I think it shouldn't matter whether or not a role should be assigned to a particular gender.

"The roles should be assigned to the gender that the role belongs to. Hamlet is not for a female to play, Hamlet is a male's role and should only be for a male student to play," a male classmate of mine states passionately.

"Does it really matter if a female plays a male role? The roles should be given to people who actually have the potential to act that role to utter perfection and or can perform the role in a desired way," Emma exclaims, anger evident in her tone of voice.

At that very moment I had already grown excruciatingly tired of this whole conversational debate. For one thing we live in the 21st century, a time period in which women now can work in men's work fields and males can work in female's work fields. For another, females are capable of so much more than acting as wives and mere objects for someone's own pleasurable affairs.

For example, females can play a male's role in a damn play!

For everyone could have known, I could act the role of Hamlet to prove this point. Maybe I should, it would make quite a story for Wattpad. Of course I would have to dress up as a guy, which is no problem honestly in my opinion.

The mix of chatter and uproar deteriorates as soon as our Drama teacher walks back through our classrooms door again. Her face looks as if she was tired and absolutely done with life. Her eyes were visibly red and I couldn't help but feel sad for her.

The rest of the class period goes smoothly and once the class period ends I go up to my Drama teacher. Her face was consuming her papers as per usual and a crease was formed between her eyebrows. She was a young teacher and one of my favourites, besides from my English teacher, even though I was a mediocre English student at best.

"What may I help you with?" Her voice is cheery and enthusiastic, despite the fact that her appearance contradicted this facade.

"I want to audition for the role of Hamlet," I say as confidently as I can.

Her face is full of despair for a second before she immediately stops and smiles broadly. "Langford, of course you can audition for the role of Hamlet. You are perfectly capable of acting this role but are you sure this is wise to do this under a school full of old traditions."

Drumming my fingers on top of her desk I smile reassuringly down at her. "There is no doubt in my mind of me not playing the role of Hamlet."

Without another word my Drama teacher hands me a copy of the play, Hamlet, with an audition schedule also attached to it. Full of excitement I run out of my Drama class and almost knock over a person on my way to my next class.

When I look up to observe the victim of my clumsiness I almost jump out of my skin. It is Lincoln.

"You better keep your eyes open, since you were clearly in my way," I state, ignoring the fact that there is a class for me to get to. A class that I will soon be late for in a few mere seconds.

"May I ask why you are in such a hurry?" Lincoln asks and for once he actually sounds genuinely intrigued to know.

"Unlike you I have things to get to," I say with a little too much enthusiasm. "Like my next class, that I will be late for," I state checking the nonexistent watch on my right arm.

"Langford, I know the book is yours," Lincoln hisses, causing chills to go down my spine.

The breath in my lungs leaves me and I am left rendered speechless. He knows, he knows too much.

"You aren't going to out me are you?" I say nervously in almost a whisper.

"Not unless you give me back my phone and update your book for me," Lincoln sneers causing me to laugh because of the last bit of his comment.

Recovering from my laughter I sigh and hand him back his phone. He knows he has me wrapped right round his finger and I can't possibly do anything to stop him from revealing this information to everyone.

"I have got to get goin-"

"I'm going to tell my secret, I would much rather be living happier if it were out there and in the open," I say.

Lincoln turns abruptly at this comment, which probably isn't going to come true anytime soon but it would probably keep him off of my back. He steps towards me with his all too familiar mysterious demeanour. A demeanour that I still can't fully interpret. I may know this boy for many years but I still can't figure him out, unfortunately.

"You don't have to do that. It is your secret after all, I just don't want you to go through with this and Ian ends up hurting you," Lincoln whispers. Almost to low for me to hear, even though he is standing directly in front of me.

"Lincoln... have you ever been so angry at yourself for NOT doing something?" I exclaim.

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, his way of coping through a lot of situations. He does this a lot when the teachers ask if he did his work or not.

"Yes," Lincoln sighs, as if whatever he was thinking about was destroyed.

"Then you understand why I have to do this," I exclaim.

He doesn't say anything, just looks down at the ground with a defeated look plastered across his face. Why is he looking like that? Is my words rendering in his head loudly? I notice his head nod before I could think about his appearance right in this moment.

"Good talk, catch you round Lincoln," I say.

I roll my eyes as I quickly walk to my next class which I'm pretty sure I'm going to be possibly killed for, for being late. Or tonight in my bedroom when I am going to confess to Ian about my secrets.

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A.N;
I have finally decided to have an actual writing schedule. 😅👌✨Thursday and or Fridays I shall upload, according to my New Zealand time zone. 🌙🔥