Clockwise from upper right: Renee Ombaba (Horatio), Jacqueline Youm (Claudius), Lexi Stein (Ophelia), and Jaki Demarest (Gertrude) in “Hamless.” The Rude Mechanicals, in residence at the Greenbelt Arts Center, is currently offering their unique, take on Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” online, entitled “Hamless.” This interesting look at the Shakespearean classic is produced by Joshua Engel and directed by Erin Nealer. “Hamlet” has been a source of other plays in the past. “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” is one that comes to mind immediately. Like “Hamless,” Tom Stoppard’s play took characters out of the original story and gave them a closer look. This production imagines the Danish Court without Hamlet. All of our other favorites are here — Gertrude (Jaki Demarest), Claudius (Jacqueline Youm), Ophelia (Lexi Stein), Laertes (Allison McAlister), Polonius (Justin Bigelow), Horatio (Renee Ombaba), and even Rosencrantz (Claudia Bach) and Guildenstern (Michael Angeloni). As Hamlet is out of sight brooding, Queen Gertrude and King Claudius deal with governing and all the politics and social relationships in the castle. The original Shakespearean script is intact except for the removal of the scenes with Hamlet. Thus, the play goes from a two hour plus production to one just barely over an hour. It’s interesting to note that you do not need Hamlet’s character to follow the plot. This version gives a better focus on King Claudius and Queen Gertrude and their relationships to the other characters. I especially enjoyed the scene when Claudius manipulates Laertes into taking revenge on Hamlet by stirring up the younger man’s anger over the death of his father and sister. Laertes blames both deaths on the young Danish prince.