Carter is a freelance writer. In this essay, Carter focuses on Rudnick's lighthearted contemporary comedy and it's ability to speak to the magic of Shakespeare's Hamlet.

In keeping with one of the major themes of Shakespeare's Hamlet, Paul Rudnick's I Hate Hamlet is a contrast between both old and new, the value of Shakespearean theater versus the instant gratification of television fame. Rudnick draws on historical figure John Barrymore for his inspiration, an actor captivated by the role of Shakespeare's prince. A sentimental, lighthearted social commentary, Rudnick's Hamlet is not a tragedy, does not seek to redeem or preach a heavy handed message. But it does illuminate the value of the genre to which it speaks. Says the playwright: "I Hate Hamlet celebrates the theater, in all its artifice and happy dementia. May the Barrymore panache rule all productions."

Rudnick's play introduces Andrew Rally, an unemployed actor...