To Be or Not to Be

… that was never the question for a destitute theatre company from India, which hears that the Prince of Denmark is looking for actors. Fired by Hamlet draws upon Commedia dell’arte and physical theatre to talk about journeys made in hope.

Fired by Hamlet, Ashwath Bhatt, Michael Moritz, german director Michael Moritz, William Shakespeare, Theatre Garage Project, theatre, art, talk

During the rehearsals for Fired by Hamlet in Delhi. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

TO TRAP the king who killed his father, Hamlet turns to theatre. “The play is the thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King,” he says with a manic gleam, and calls the production The Mousetrap. In a new play devised from William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Hamlet, a poor theatre company from India decides to audition for The Mousetrap. The hour-and-a-half-long play, Fired by Hamlet, presented by Theatre Garage Project, will be staged in Delhi this week.

Michael Moritz, a German director, whose formidable repertoire on stage, screen and television is pinned down by an inviolable ethic — every gesture is connected to the thoughts of the actor — has created the play with Delhi-based actors. Rehearsal at Siddharth Hall of Max Mueller Bhavan are intense affairs as the artistes strain against themselves to learn a different performance style.

As Magnifico, the owner of the theatre company, Ashwath Bhatt wears a suitably haunted look of one who has been cheated by fortune. When he notices a ray of hope in the chance to perform for Hamlet, Magnifico grasps at it with defiance.

“This opportunity I am going to cash. With this bunch that trusted me, I have to succeed,” he says. His voice rising to a crescendo, he announces, “We will strive and survive.” The motley group looks confused and then shout in one voice, “Yay.”

“Stop, stop. You have to give it more life. It doesn’t work if it can’t come from the heart. Try one more time, from the chest and into the face,” calls out Moritz, a faculty member at the Vienna Conservatory and writer of 11 crime novels.

The scene is replayed several times. During lunch, Moritz says, “I have watched a lot of Bollywood films. The funny characters play stupid, it is not the situation that is funny. Hamlet would say, ‘No, it is the situation that is important’. You can exaggerate but you have to be connected with yourself.”

Moritz had initially planned to work on Bertolt Brecht with actors he had trained in physical theatre as part of Funny Bones workshops last year and this year. “We finally decided to devise a comedy using the form and characters from Shakespeare and Commedia dell’arte . I could work with the body and invent scenes,” he says.

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Commedia dell’arte is an Italian form from the 14th century, whose hallmark is the ease with which comedians played their parts so that they could “make tears flow or laughter ring”.

Characters such as Columbina (Amba Suhasini Jhala) in Fired by Hamlet are Commedia archetypes of beautiful women “who know how to play the game”; Stupido (Mohit Tiwari) and Harlequino (Sonmoni Sarmah) are named after their nature; Brigella (Shivam Pradhan) is a master of jugaad and Capitano (Yogendra) “once used to be a big man”.

“You have so many different elements in one play — from genres to archetypes to masks to slapstick to physicality. If you lose timing, the whole scene is gone. This is a difficult play because, in India, we are not used to physical comedy in this sense,” says Bhatt.
The play opens with the characters asleep under a red bedsheet made from a stage curtain. Only their feet are visible. To a haunting song by Olivia (Purnima Yengkokpam), they display the first signs of struggle when they pull the sheet this way and that to cover themselves and leave others cold. “In Commedia, every character is looking for his advantage. In Fired by Hamlet, the characters are not hungry, they are dying of hunger,” says Moritz.

Starvation is bringing out their ugly side. When young Olivia is caught with lipstick from the green-room supplies, Columbina hits upon a plan to prostitute her for food. “She is pretty enough for the shopkeeper. Pretty enough to get us some food, oh, the shopkeeper around the corner would like that very much,” she says.

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“No, no, no. Keep it clear. No colouring because, the thing is, you know, this is very emotional. Keep it dry or it stops being strong,” says Moritz.

Jhala, who graduated in classical acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2009, picks up the dynamics of the moment to the director’s satisfaction and the play moves on to the next scene of fear, ambition and self-interest.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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