The Eyes Have It

In the Huntington Library there's a rare early edition of Shakepeare's Hamlet that was compiled entirely from the actors' memories of their roles. "To be or not to be," Hamlet intones midway through Act III, "Aye, there's the problem." It reminds me of the story about the play that opened on Broadway and was an instant hit, with a long run assured. The director went off on vacation, and when he returned a couple of weeks later he dropped in to catch a performance. The next day a notice appeared on the backstage bulletin board: "Rehearsal Tomorrow, 10 AM, to remove the actors' improvements.