I think most stories could benefit from having two characters whose relationship is just "those two guys" (gender neutral). Most of the time if you look for one of them you'll find both of them. They can hate each other or be the best of friends or something in-between but they just can't find that same spark with anyone else. Their relationship is best described as "do not separate them". They are fully fleshed out characters individually but if either of them are left alone without the other for any reason it feels so wrong.

Doomed by the Narrative: Side B - Round 1

Hamlet, writing a letter: and upon its reading, the bearers of this letter should be compensated with very nice houses and lots of money for their troubles

Rosencrantz, from the other room: haha bro what if our names were Rizzencrantz and Gyattdenstern

Guildenstern, also in the other room: haha yeah it's like we're sending Hamlet to Ohio

Hamlet, writing quicker: on second thought I think you should kill these guys actually

These two. They are Shakespearean characters. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Alright, I made the quiz; I made it in a semi-lazy way so you just get to find out what character I think you are in an, of course, in an amazingly scientific way, but that's really all it is. It's also just the "younger generation", so - Hamlet, Horatio, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Laertes and Fortinbras.

Anyway, enjoy!

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are like the Numbers 12 and 13.

I won't elaborate. I don't think I can elaborate. It just makes sense.

Gil and Rose 

thinking about the fact that we never get anything about hamlet’s past at wittenberg except through sparse lines from other characters. as I’ve said before, wittenberg represents a contrast to elsinore - freedom as opposed to a prison. his education and philosophy are such an important part of his story and yet the only time we get any mention of it is either from his banter with horatio or the king and queen telling him to go back. in fact, we get much more about hamlet’s life before wittenberg. we get the queen referring to ros and guil as hamlet’s closest friends despite the fact that he is obviously closer to horatio. we get constant mention of hamlet’s father and his family life before wittenberg. we get ophelia, who hamlet presumably met before wittenberg (and loved that version of him). and wittenberg is freedom compared to elsinore’s prison. all of hamlet’s new self that he built away from his family is slowly chipped away by his father, his mother, and his uncle. “why, what a king is this?” it’s the king hamlet was supposed to be. it’s the king he almost had the freedom to not turn into.

Fully believe all Hamlet’s problems could have been resolved if he started a boy band with Horatio, Laertes, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

their only crime was boyfriending too hard

THROWS A THIRD ROCK. THIS IS FOR ROSGUIL AND OPHELIA

Ohmyfukingawdhefukinded

Inspired by this post

Doomed by the Narrative: Side A - Round 1

Guildenstern: Do you ever think before you speak?

Hamlet: Yes, I think; "haha thats funny" and then I say it.

what are brimsley and reynolds if not a hornier version of rosencrantz and guildenstern

Oh oh oh I just had a thought so let's talk bowing order.

NOW for those those don't know, at the end of a play people bow and they generally (The Globe productions being an exceptions and I'm sure there are others) come out in an order which is ensemble through to main cast through to leads through to lead - there is no reason it HAS to be done this way but that is the standard and personally I enjoy it.

There can be a lot of backstage politics involved in this stuff, for example in Wicked Glinda and Elphaba bow together even though Elphaba is the lead and should bow last but the original production for various reason set the precedent and here we are.

Anyway, I would never say there a standardised or correct version of a bowing order for Hamlet cause it ENTIRELY depends on the production and each is so different but this is just a version of it in my head that makes a lot of dramatic sense to me -

First bow: the players. We love them, them being first is actually a point to their importance because they represent the importance of theatre; so we start with them. The Gravediggers and the priest can also be here, but they probably are doubling with players anyway.

Second bow; all the court; so Osric, Reynaldo, Voltemand and Cornelius, the various courtroom messengers who deliver info and such - I would also put the ambassadors from England in here; you get the collective I'm going for.

Third bow; Marcellus, Bernardo and Francisco - ultimately they go here because they only open the plot but also the OPEN THE PLOT; they deserve there own space that is just the three of them to be appreciated.

Fourth bow; Fortinbras, and his military leaders (ie the Captain but I'd add some others even if they were doubled - I'd put them here - alongside him).

Fifth bow: Polonius and the Ghost (if the ghost actor is not doubling - if he is I think Polonius alone totally works).

Six bow: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

Seventh bow: Claudius and Gertrude

Eighth bow: Laertes and Ophelia because my siblings have to bow together but then Laertes steps back for Ophelia to give her own solo bow

Ninth bow: Horatio

Tenth bow: Hamlet

But then Hamlet and Horatio take hands and bow together and then they lead the full cast bow.