In a well-known adaptation of Hamlet, one actor plays both Hamlet and the ghost. What is the effect of this adaptation? It establishes Hamlet’s madness and that the ghost is not a figment of his imagination. It emphasizes the idea that the ghost is not real, but rather imagined by Hamlet. It complicates the plot and makes it more difficult for a modern audience to understand it. It simplifies the plot of the play and makes it easier for a modern audience to understand it.