# Brillig

## Metadata

- Slug: brillig
- Type: Short Play
- Genre: Comedy
- Acts: 1 act
- Duration: 20–40 minutes
- Cast: Medium (7-14)
- Cast Summary: Flexible: 7-8 characters (7 onstage, 1 offstage voice) whose pronouns may be changed according to casting needs. 
- Movement Requirements: minimal stage combat/fencing
- Technical Requirements: Flexible
- Performing Groups:
  - Community Theatre
  - College/University
  - High School/Secondary
- Primary Image: https://content.uproartheatrics.com/4mqmmxrgn1dmv2y6c2bijqsnmvzu

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## Authors

- By Erin Dealey (author slug: erin-dealey)

## Overview

**Enduring themes in** ***Hamlet:**** * investigation of psyche, to thine own self be true, stop sawing the air with your hand so much when you're on stage.
**Things that would help the members of this college freshman support group:** * *investigation of psyche, to thine own self be true, stop sawing the air with your hand so much when you're on stage.
Ghosts from a production of *Hamlet* descend upon a college freshmen support group to irreverently pass on some keys to unlocking a better life (minus the poison/corruption/revenge bit), and get to the bottom of the question: is there ever an appropriate time to use *Jabberwocky* as an audition monologue?
Think less brooding and more ukuleles.
**Want more like this? *Brillig* appears alongside two more Shakespeare-inspired one-acts by Dealey, forming the full length piece [*All The World.*](https://www.uproartheatrics.com/shows/all-the-world)

## Plot

When a Halloween event at the college bumps the later-than-usual meeting of an emotional support group, three freshmen and a well-meaning facilitator relocate to the rarely used, and rumored to be haunted, campus theater. Breakthroughs are as doubtful for Sadie, Stella, and Alex as they are for three desperate ghosts from an old production of *Hamlet,* until they gyre and gimble through their own emotions, and possibly gain a fresh perspective on the undeserved bashing of a few slimy active badgers.

## Cast

| Name | Description |
| ---- | ---- |
| A NOTE ON CASTING: | All roles can be played by any gender. Please adjust pronouns to your casting needs, no permission from Uproar needed. |
| ALEX | F or M, freshman, haunted by the need to be perfect.
 |
| SADIE | F, freshman, haunted by things unsaid. Sadie finds the social-emotional support group useless. It’s her last time attending.
 |
| STELLA | F, freshman, communicates through haikus and hauntingly odd ukulele tunes.
 |
| HILLARY | F, subbing for Dr. Randall as facilitator of the social-emotional support group. Does not believe in ghosts. 
 |
| GHOST OF HAMLET’S FATHER  | M, think Darth Vader meets Sir Lawrence Olivier, playing the ghost of the actor who played the ghost in Hamlet long ago (You read that correctly).
 |
| GERTRUDE  | F or M, ghost of the actor who played Hamlet's mother, with the essence of Moira Rose meets Auntie Mame. 
 |
| OPHELIA | F or M, ghost of the actor who played Ophelia. Essence of Alexis Rose or David Rose – you decide – meets Emily Webb.
 |
| LOCKSMITH | M, offstage voice, afraid of anything that goes bump in the night. Can be double cast with the actor who plays the ghost of the actor who played the Ghost of Hamlet's Father.
 |

## Materials

### Available for additional fee:

| Name | Description |
| ---- | ----------- |
| Video Recording License | License to create an archival recording of the show that may be distributed to the cast and crew. This does not allow publicly posting the performance. |
| 60-Minute Talkback with the Creator | A 60-minute Zoom/Google Meet with one or more of the show's creator(s). Licensees and guests can ask questions, share experiences, and hear about the artistic journey of the show and creative team. This can be scheduled before or after the performances. If we are unable to make scheduling work, the cost will be refunded. |