101 Playing Court

Ellsinore, Denmark

June 30, 1531

Dearest Player,


You will not believe what happened to me yesterday! I had traveled to the King’s castle in order to put on a play demanded by Prince Hamlet. He took me aside and asked me if I could put on the play “The Mouse Trap” with my fellow player, Matthew. Of course, you know I have put on that play many times, but Lord Hamlet asked me if he could change a few of the lines in the play before I put it on, and I agreed to everything. It turned out, though, that Lord Hamlet had changed the play more than just a little so that the cause of my death would be my own brother pouring poison down my ear! I rehearsed the changes Lord Hamlet made.


At the play, there was a large crowd. I especially noticed that the King was right on the front row. By the scene where I started to descend into an orchard about to go to sleep, the King got this look on his face that told me something had to be wrong. Still, Matthew and I continued with the play. Then, Matthew poured the poison into my ear and everything went totally strange. The King had turned into a lunatic! He screamed, “Lights! Stop the play!” Someone summoned me to my small living quarters for the night. Now it has been three days. I have not stepped one foot out of this quarters since then. Three times a day, a servant comes and gives me my meals. But I know that both the King, the Queen, and Lord Hamlet are all dead. I fear it was all my fault. Who knows what could have happened to all of them? Was my play that bad? Did they all kill themselves because of my bad acting? If it was my fault, what could happen to me? I will have the punishment of death, of that I am sure. And so, my playing partner, please tell everyone back in London that I have gone away for good. If I should make it back by any chance at all, I will notify you the minute I get there.


With Distress,


Your Fellow Player


P.S. I hope to see you soon, if I shall remain alive.