I Hate Hamlet
I Hate Hamlet is a comedy-drama written in 1991 by Paul Rudnick. Plot. Set in John Barrymore's old apartment in New York City – at the time, the author's real-life home – the play follows successful television actor Andrew Rally as he struggles with taking on the dream role of Hamlet, dealing with a girlfriend who is keeping a firm grip on her chastity, and playing host to the ghost of John Barrymore, who, clothed as Hamlet, has come back to earth for the sole purpose of convincing Rally to play the part. Real estate  agent Felicia Dantine convinces Rally to stay in the apartment and hold a seance. Barrymore proves to be very convincing (challenging Andrew to a sword fight in the middle of the New York loft), and Andrew decides to play Hamlet. But when a Hollywood friend shows up offering Andrew a new role in a television pilot, with a potentially large salary and fame, Andrew is forced to choose between Shakespeare, whom his "girlfriend" loves, or television, where "he" is loved by millions. Original production. The play was originally produced on Broadway in the Walter Kerr Theatre, opening on April 8 , 1991. The show was directed by Michael Engler, set design Tony Straiges, costume design Jane Greenwood, lighting design Paul Gallo, sound design , and fight choreography B. H. Barry. The cast starred Caroline Aaron (Felicia Dantine), Evan Handler (Andrew Rally), Jane Adams (Deirdre McDavey), Celeste Holm (Lillian Troy), Nicol Williamson (John Barrymore), and Adam Arkin (Gary Peter Leftkowitz). Controversy. Nicol Williamson, who played the role of John Barrymore in the initial Broadway production, was notoriously mercurial, and gradually alienated most of his fellow cast and crewmembers. This animosity culminated in an injury to co-star Evan Handler during an onstage sword  fight. Handler subsequently left the production. Paul Rudnick later detailed the deterioration of his relationship with Williamson in a 2008 article for the "New Yorker".