One of the reasons that I came home this week was because my most favorite red-headed sibling was acting in his last play at UNA. He really wanted me there, and I didn't want to miss it. Besides, I love Shakespeare, and they were putting on Hamlet. It's a really exciting story of murder, mystery, and revenge. Complete with 9 deaths it's an exciting play full of twists and turns.

I wasn't quiet sure what to expect when they billed it as a post-apocalyptic time, where a struggling theatre troop finds an old copy of Hamlet and decides to act it out, but it was spectacularly done. With modern, yet very Renascence-y clothing and a simple but beautiful set it wasn't too out there. There were some very modern touches, such as a virtual reality sword fight and one slow-mo death that made it a little more funny than serious. All in all it was a beautifully staged play.

I was excited to see several old faces: Mark from high school playing the evil Uncle (and he pulls off evil roles so well for such a nice laid back guy), Kat as the Captain, and of course Matthew in the third best role in the entire show, a role that he was PERFECTLY suited for Polonius.

Polonius has some of the best lines in the entire play, and many of the sayings and advice that we have come from him in this very play: "For the apparel oft proclaims the man" (from which we get the clothes make the man), "Brevity is the soul of wit" (from which we get the idea that it is better to say little and leave more to the imagination), and "Neither a borrower nor a lender be" (which of course orginally comes from Proverbs in a slightly different form), and his most famous line "And this above all else - To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." Almost all his best lines come in the way of advice as his son goes off to France. It is a very complex role, as Polonius is cheif advisor but he is also behind the scenes as cheif manipulator. He is considered wise by some and a "tedious old fool" by others. Eventually, though by accident he is murdered by Hamlet and his death leads to Hamlets own death by the hand of Polonius's son in revenge. Matthew played the role well, as if it was made for him. I was very impressed, and I don't say that just because he's my brother. We had a great time!