Idioms

Hamlet without the prince

Hamlet without the prince

An event that happens despite the absence of a key player. Hamlet, the titular character of Shakespeare's play, is the prince of Denmark. The phrase originated from this very occurrence: a performance of Hamlet that took place without the actor who was to play Hamlet. Oh, we couldn't have a party without you—that would be like Hamlet without the prince! I know that having a board meeting without the chairwoman is like Hamlet without the prince, but she's ill and asked us to go on without her. A: "Why are you home so early?" B: "Because my therapist had to cancel. And therapy can't exactly go on without the therapist, ala Hamlet without the prince."
See also: prince, without
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Hamlet without the prince

a performance or event taking place without the principal actor.
The phrase comes from an account given in the Morning Post of September 1775 . The member of a theatrical company who was to play Hamlet in a production of Shakespeare's play ran off with an innkeeper's daughter before the performance; when the play was announced to the audience, they were told ‘the part of Hamlet [was] to be left out, for that night’.
See also: prince, without
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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References in periodicals archive
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