The D. M. L. C. Messenger
SHAKESPEAREAN CARICATURES BREVITY: THE SOUL OF WIT in ONE ACT TIME:
917 A. D.
PLACE: a street corner in a busy metropolitan northern Europe.
city in
CHARACTERS: Master of Ceremonies (M. C.) John Q. Public (J. Q. P.) M. C.: Good afternoon, Damen und Herren of the radio audience. This is your "Der Mann Auf Der Strasse" program, brought to you by Andersen's fresh frozen reindeer meat. Andersen's fresh frozen reindeer meat is imported directly from our sister country Norway (sound of wagon wheels on cobble stone road). M. C. holds nose and says, "There goes another shipment of Andersen's fresh frozen reindeer meat, folks. Today, friends, we have chosen a question submitted by Professor C. L. Schweppe, 'Was Hamlet mad?' Here's an intelligent-looking man coming our way. Sir, do you believe that Hamlet was mad T" J. Q. P.: Was Hamlet mad? Yes. Yes! I tell you yes. Hamlet was mad, insensibly and permanently mad. Mad, I tell you, utterly mad. You ask me, "Why?" I'll tell you why I know Hamlet was mad. He was mad. He was mad. T know it. Hamlet was mad. Only I know why. I'll tell you why I know Hamlet was mad. He was mad ... Wait! Why do you look at me that way? Do you douht my word? All right. I'll explain why I know Hamlet was mad. First of all, you know his dull mother Gertrude, don't you? I always said that Hamlet took after her. He was always with her. Then they sent him away to school to get rid of him. When he came back, everyone could see that there was something wrong with him. He always kept to himself; never had two words to say to anyone. And those clothes, if you can call them clothes, I think he had them made from funeral drapings. Now you're 20