Two characters in search of meaning

So Lawson figured she ought to read it.

“I found it fascinating and interesting, but I don’t think I fully grasped the idea of it,” said Lawson, a senior at the University of New Mexico.

	If you go WHAT: “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 27, and 2 p.m. Oct. 28. Repeats Nov. 1-4 WHERE: Experimental Theatre, basement of the UNM Center for the Arts HOW MUCH: $12 general public, $10 seniors and UNM faculty, $8 students and UNM staff at ticket offices in the UNM Bookstore and the Pit, by calling 925-5858 or online at www.unmtickets.com

At least not until Lawson read Samuel Beckett’s play “Waiting for Godot” in a college honors drama class.

“The more I analyzed ‘Waiting for Godot,’ the more I realized that Tom Stoppard had based a lot of his play on this (idea) of two characters trapped on stage, trying to figure out life,” she said.

Lawson realized that “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern” is not a fun, little, behind-the-scenes look at William Shakespeare. (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern first appear in literature as minor characters in Shakespeare’s tragedy “Hamlet.”)

Rather, Stoppard’s 1966 tragicomedy is trying to convey the meaning of something much deeper – the human terror of death and the unknown – and that was a revelation for her.

Lawson is making her directorial debut with Stoppard’s play. The first of seven performances will be Friday, Oct. 26, in UNM’s Experimental Theatre.

“I picked this play because I figured I might as well pick my favorite in directing my first production,” she said.

Lawson cast Stephen Armijo as Rosencrantz and Ty Shoemake as Guildenstern in the production. She was looking for actors who embodied the qualities of the two characters.

“Rosencrantz is a much more physical character. When he sees something, he believes it. Guildenstern loves philosophy and talking and figuring things out,” Lawson said.

Though she was never able to see the actors together at callbacks, Lawson saw a moment of “beautiful chemistry” in the first rehearsal. That chemistry between Armijo and Shoemake has grown since then.

Armijo said at auditions he didn’t know what part he wanted. But he soon realized he was a good fit for the character of Rosencrantz.

“Rosencrantz, on the surface, doesn’t seem that bright and gets caught up in a lot of silly moments because he doesn’t know what’s going on,” he said.

“But it masks a deeper knowledge about the world, which is why I love the character.”

Armijo said he and Shoemake think of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as having a symbiotic relationship, like Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock.

“Rosencrantz is more living in the moment and he’s much more about desires, which means his decisions are guided by his heart. Guildenstern’s are guided by his head. Together they keep each other in check, in balance, and keep each other from going crazy,” he said.

Shoemake said a key to the dynamic of their characters’ relationship is that they’ve been together forever.