The Death of Hamlet
This is a five minute radio play based on
Hamlet's last scene in William Shakespeare's: Hamlet.
This is an assignment for my Radio Writing
module at University.
This is copied and pasted from
the first draft and there is probably
a lot of mistakes. When I go through
and correct them I'll update this post
or just post the new draft.
__________________________
SCENE: 1
KING CLAUDIUS
Place the drinks down there, on the table.
SOUND: GLASS BOTTLES BEING PLACED ONTO THE TABLE
KING CLAUDIUS
Hamlet, if you strike the face on your first or second
hit we shall drink to your health. Judges, watch
closely, we want no cheating here in the den. Fair
fight men.
HAMLET
Come on, mate. Give it all you’ve got.
LAERTES
Fists up, Hamlet.
SOUND: FIGHTING. FIST HITTING FIST. THUMP. THUMP.
HAMLET
Got’cha.
LAERTES
Oh come on you didn’t hit me, it glanced off my arm.
HAMLET
Judgment Osric?
OSRIC
Laertes, he hit you. Fair and square. Socked you right
on the cheek.
LAERTES
Come on. Again. Try to hit me a second time, you won’t
get close.
KING CLAUDIUS
Hold on. Hamlet, lets drink! Pass me a bottle. Hamlet
this tablet is yours. Here’s to your health.
SOUND: SOME DANCE MUSIC SOUNDS
KING CLAUDIUS
Give him the bottle.
HAMLET
One more bout your highness, I’m not very thirsty. Just
set it back down over there.
SOUND: FIGHTING. FIST HITTING FIST. THUMP. THUMP.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
HAMLET
Got you again? Come on, don’t even try and lie.
LAERTES
Woah, I wasn’t going to, you got me that time. My nose
is bleeding.
KING CLAUDIUS
Looks like our wager was well placed dear, Hamlet’s
going to win.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Look at him, he’s drenched in sweat. Here take this
towel, wipe yourself down. Pass me that beer, the
excitement has made so thirsty.
HAMLET
Please don’t.
KING CLAUDIUS
Gertrude, that’s been set out a while. Let me get you
something fresher?
QUEEN GERTRUDE
I don’t mind love, seriously.
KING CLAUDIUS
(ASIDE TO LAERTES)
That’s the poisoned bottle. It’s too late.
SOUND: SIPPING FROM A BOTTLE
LAERTES
(ASIDE TO KING CLAUDIUS)
I’ll hit him now, sucker punch to the back of the head,
surely that’ll drop him.
KING CLAUDIUS
No, you’ll finish him honourably. Get you head in the
game.
HAMLET
Come on Laertes. You’re just wasting time now. Come on,
give me all you’ve got. Third time lucky? You can do
better than this, or are you just trying to make a fool
of me?
LAERTES
Come on then.
SOUND: FIGHTING. THIS TIME IT IS CLEARLY MORE INTENSE.
GRUNTING. HEAVY PANTING.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
OSRIC
No hits either side. Back. Off.
LAERTES
Come on then!
SOUND: FLICK KNIFE OPENING.
OSRIC
Hamlet, he has a blade.
LAERTES
Too late.
SOUND: HAMLET CRIES OUT IN PAIN.
SOUND: SCUFFLING AS HAMLET GOES AT LAERTES AND DISARMS HIM
SOUND: LAERTES CRIES OUT IN PAIN.
HAMLET
Got you now, brother. How could you resort to dirty
prison tricks.
KING CLAUDIUS
Seperate them, they have gone mad.
SOUND: BODY SLUMPING TO THE FLOOR
OSRIC
The Queen. Gertrude are you okay. Someone help. How is
it Laertes?
LAERTES
As a rat to my own den, I’ve just been had with my own
dirty tricks.
HAMLET
How’s the Queen?
KING CLAUDIUS
She’s faint from the sight of the blood clearly.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
No...no...the drink...the drink. Hamlet, my dear
Hamlet.
HAMLET
What is it?
QUEEN GERTRUDE
The drink...the drink...I am poisoned.
SOUND: DEATH RATTLE AS QUEEN DIES
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
HAMLET
Foul play, someone’s posioned the drinks. Lock the
doors, no-one leaves till we find the dirty cheat.
LAERTES
It’s right here Hamlet. You are slain, there is no
antidote in the world that can save you. You won’t live
even half an hour. The poison is in your hand on that
blade. Cheap tricks to kill you, the tip is coated in
poison. Like I said, there is no cure. It seems fate
was against me today as you have cut me with my own
blade, so now I’m dying. By my own hand really. Your
mother is dead, never to rise. It’s the Kings fault.
The King is to blame!
HAMLET
The points poisoned? Then let is do it’s worst.
SOUND: KING CLAUDIUS CRIES OUT IN PAIN
SOUND: CLEAR INTAKE OF AIR FROM ONLOOKERS. TORRENTS OF ABUSE
AT HAMLET
ONLOOKER #1
Traitor
ONLOOKER #2
Murderer!
KING CLAUDIUS
I’m not dead yet my friends, it’s only a wound.
HAMLET
Just a wound? Then here, drink this beer. Maybe it will
make you feel better. Is your union here? Follow my
mother!
SOUND: KING CLAUDIUS DEATH RATTLE
LAERTES
He got what he deserved, that poison was created by
him. Please forgive me Hamlet. You killed me without
knowing, and my father deserved it. Don’t let our
deaths rest on your conscience when you go Hamlet.
SOUND: LAERTES DEATH RATTLE
HAMLET
I’m dead, Horatio. Wretched Queen, adieu! You all stood
and watched in silence. An audience. I have something
to say, but I won’t last much longer, so there isn’t
much point. So it’ll have to go unsaid. Horatio, I’m
dead. While you live, tell people of me and set
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
HAMLET (cont’d)
people’s opinions of me straight if they don’t believe
what happened here.
HORATIO
I’m old, with out you lot what is there for me, this
was my life. I’m like an antique. There’s still some
poison left, I’ll die by your side.
HAMLET
Give me the drink! Let go! I swear to god I’ll have it
before you do. Oh Horatio. You probably won’t know
happiness for a while, but use the pain and anguish to
tell my story. Don’t let what went on down here go
unheard. Blow this wide open, it’s time to bring an end
to it.
SOUND: MARCHING DRUMS, FAR OFF.
HAMLET
What warlike noise is this? O’, I die, Horatio. The
potent poison quite o’er-crows my spirit. I cannot live
to hear the new from England. But I do prophesy the
election lights on Fortinbras. He has my dying voice.
So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less, which
have solicited.
(BEAT)
The rest is silence.
SOUND: HAMLET DEATH RATTLE.
