The drama departments at Jennings County High School and Middle School, otherwise known as the Jennings County Company, premiered the weekend of Feb. 4 the play that they have been working on since about September: “Something’s Rotten in the State of Denmark.” The play is a spoof on Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, “Hamlet.”
The plot focuses on a high school student, Tom, played by senior Kaleb Downs, who is playing Hamlet in his school’s performance of the classic. Tom falls asleep in school after the dress rehearsal and the audience is then unknowingly witnessing his dream — a comedic and dramatic run through of the play for which he had spent the evening preparing.
As I sat in the audience watching the show, laughs could be heard throughout the crowd after what seemed like every other line.
I asked senior Carlee Nixon, who played Laertes, what her favorite scene in the play was.
“My favorite scene was probably Scene 12, the light saber battle. It was such a different and creative take on the duel between Laertes and Hamlet, and it was also a great way to get the audience more interested in the play,” Nixon said.
The cost of admission was $2 for students and $4 for adults, and the money will go toward expenses and a new sound system. Regardless of the cost one had to pay, everyone in the audience was without a doubt entertained throughout the entire production.
In the future, if you can find time to attend a play by one or both of these talented drama departments, I encourage you to do so.
