The new production by the Dormont Shakespearean Theater of Hamlet, the well-known play by William Shakespeare, has drawn mixed reviews in the press. The Leader’s theatrical column praised the production as “a daring departure,” saying that the unusual choice to set the play in medieval Denmark, with the title character as the son of a murdered king, “brought a breath of fresh air to an otherwise familiar tale.” The Sun-Telegraph, however, while expressing appreciation for the “creative effort” behind the unusual production, was of the opinion that “Hamlet works best in a more traditional setting in line with its author’s intent, such as Nazi Germany or a big American tobacco corporation.” The Volksblatt critic thought the title character dithered too much and said that “he should just pull up his socks.”

Submarine engineers must have been much in demand in vaudeville if this one made it to the cover of the Billboard. But there were opportunities for all kinds of people on the performing circuit.

The advertisement above makes us wonder whether the shortage of lady leapers was directly related to the lack of an experienced catcher.

Culture Watch.—Tonight: The 47 ways overexplaining is destroying our culture. Featuring a panel of experts in psychology, education, astrology, media studies, chiropractic, auto mechanics, epidemiology, nuclear physics, backgammon, gender studies, zymurgy, and fourteenth-century Catalan poetry. 7 p.m. till our last expert drops from exhaustion.

Pantocrator Pictures Corp. confirmed today that classically trained Shakespearean actor Theodore Naphtha, best known for his role as Irv in the 2006 comedy Herb and Irv Hit Themselves on the Head with Hammers, has signed on to play the title role in the new darker reboot of the Book of Job. Director and screenwriter Monty McCarrion promises “a world-class spectacle” in the climactic battle with the supervillain Elihu. The project earlier generated some controversy among fans when McCarrion revealed that this updated take on the venerable franchise would not include the character of God, a cult favorite in some corners of fandom. Most fans seem to agree, however, that giving the Job character superpowers has obviated the need for the God character.