] Richard Briers on Polonius:

] "Polonius is not a fool - he's cunning and has the spy's practiced slyness, but he also provides a bit of light relief. You mustn't cod it. There's no need to over-colour the part, you just play it straight down the middle.

One of my favorite exchnages in the play is this one:
HAMLET
Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?
LORD POLONIUS
By the mass, and 'tis like a camel, indeed.
HAMLET
Methinks it is like a weasel.
LORD POLONIUS
It is backed like a weasel.
HAMLET
Or like a whale?
LORD POLONIUS
Very like a whale.
HAMLET
Then I will come to my mother by and by. They fool
me to the top of my bent. I will come by and by.

Not only is it funny, but it shows in a nutshell, that Polonius is a very cunning and experienced yes man. Problem is, Hamlet knows it....

] Sophie Thompson on Ophelia:

] "From the start, she lives in a world where she is totally controlled. She has already reached a point where her emotional life is quite brittle and liable to be damaged...she's already a big wobbly.
] "She has a great deal of spirit - otherwise Hamlet would never had loved her - but her reactions to him are fuelled by fear and insecurity.

I just love Sophie Thompson....

] James Wilby on Laertes:

] "It's a tricky part, although I enjoy the challenge of going straight into such a highly-charged scene. He's basically straight, a man of honour, and in a sense his situation mirrors that of Hamlet - both have lost their fathers in strange circumstances. His downfall lies in his passion of revenge which allows Claudius to manipulate him and so he becomes involved in a scheme which he would have otherwise refused.

As a parallel to Hamlet, I think Laertes function is that he, as is Hamlet, is a man of passion, but not a thinking man. He goes with his gut. Much like Claudius. They are both accused in one way or another of perhaps reveling a bit too much. It makes my skin crawl when Claudius offers him the Kingship if he kills Hamlet. Thus Laertes' downfall.

Tough role. You have one itsy bitsy scene in the beginning and then come back possibly hours later and have to hit the ground running.