The Hamlet Project

From henceforth, I will send things to the barber’s instead of saying they need editing. We still use the word “cutting” when talking about editing text in the theatre. Was there a time when cutting something from a play required scissors? It makes sense, if you’re carrying your paper role, to cut, literally cut, all unnecessary lines like the hairs on your head. Simply crossing them out really might not do. Next time I see a play that has been overwritten, which needs a serious trim, I may call out “To the barber’s with this!”