🎭 There's method in my madness - Learn English vocabulary & idioms with 'Shakespeare Speaks'

It was late in the evening.

Actors Thomas Swann and Robert Harley are having a drink in the Duck and Whistle

after a rehearsal of William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Here you are Mr Robert, Mr Thomas: two more ales.

Now Robert, the big question in Hamlet for me is –

oh, hello, Will.

Good evening Thomas, Robert...

Will. About your character Hamlet. Is he really mad?

Good evening Mr Will – oohh, he's a tricky fellow that Hamlet.

The way I see it, Mr Thomas, is, he's not really mad.

He wants to find out who killed his father, and he thinks if he pretends to be mad,

the killer will stop hiding the truth from him.

Isn't that right Mr Will?

Indeed it is, Bess.

Hamlet says all sorts of crazy things about maggots in dogs and crabs walking backwards...

no wonder everyone thinks he's mad. I'm a big fan of yours, Mr Will.

Thank you, Bess.

But if Polonius thinks Hamlet is mad, why does he say:

Though this be madness, yet there is method in't?

Well I think, Mr Robert, that's partly because some of the crazy things that Hamlet says actually make sense.

That's why Polonius thinks Hamlet is somehow in control of his madness, because Hamlet says:

For yourself, sir, should be as old as I am...

For yourself, sir, should be as old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward.

Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.

That Polonius is an old fool - he doesn't know Hamle's insulting him.

I've seen all your plays, Mr Will.

I know you have, dear Bess.

We'll leave them there for now.

My dad's method in his madness was to try every sport and then observe what I liked.

I played football, tennis, golf, cricket - but I loved my snooker.

My mum's desk is covered in papers.

There's method in her madness, though. She knows where everything is!

So Hamlet isn't mad - he's just pretending.

That's right - exactly.

This is one crazy plot...

Mr Will knows what he's doing, believe me.

Hmm... To be-lieve or not to be-lieve:

...that is the question.