Seastreak can take you to the heart of Manhattan, it’s true, but we’ll also take you to the fringe! The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC in the vernacular) isn’t your average festival, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. You might not find better proof than the spectacular Gary Busey’s One-Man Hamlet, playing until August 23. The Celebration of Whimsy Theater, at 21A Clinton Street on the Lower East Side, is the venue for this entirely off-the-wall take on the Prince of Denmark.
Alas, Poor Hamlet
This is Hamlet, heavy on the ham, as played by Gary Busey impersonator David Carl. It’s a multi-media puppet show extravaganza (not a phrase you hear every day) with David Carl playing Gary Busey playing a puppet playing Hamlet. And Ophelia. And everyone else in the play. The premise is a laugh in itself: Gary Busey, actor of great fame and dubious repute, has decided to prove he still has strong acting chops. To do this, he decides to play all the roles in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Clown Prince of Denmark
What results from this ill-advised show of theatrical bravado is five acts of hysterical fun. Gary Busey’s screwball doppelganger plays each of the play’s scenes in whatever style he feels best. This means a wild ride between beat poetry, musical theater, horror movies, and the stylings of a great (term used loosely) actor. As much as it doesn’t stick to one acting style, this romp through Shakespeare doesn’t stick to the traditional text, either. It’s full of memes and movie bits, and it’s a fabulous time.
To ferry, or not to ferry? That’s an easy answer! Seastreak makes your trip to and from Manhattan an easy voyage. We’ve got a full-service bar aboard our catamarans, and both indoor and outdoor seating. It’s nobler in the mind to pick Seastreak, and to take arms against uncomfortable ferry rides!
Sea you soon!
The Seastreak Family
Filed Under: Gary Busey’s One-Man Hamlet