About the first folio...
There are multiple editions of Shakespeare's plays, each with their own nuances and quirks. The first folio is generally thought to be closest to what Shakespeare actually gave to his actors, and therefore it's punctuation can offer a great resource for folks wondering about how to play a line. Editions like Folgers (which we are using for this production), often change the punctuation to be more in line with standard English sentence structure. But in doing this, some of the poetics are lost. An exclamation mark at the end of a line may prompt a different acting choice as compared to a colon, or a period. Think of this like a musical score without piano or forte: the notes may be the same, but the way that a player may hit them is ostensibly different.
Additionally, the original old English spelling from the first folio can help with determining the sound of the words. Repeated letters indicate more time chewing on a word. Below you can find example I've created noting the differences between our edition and the first folio of Hamlet:
Key:
Folgers additions
Folgers changes
Folgers subtractions
HAMLET
O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,
Or that the Everlasting had not fixed
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God,
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on 't, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden
That grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature
Possess it merely.
Ham.
Oh that this too too solid Flesh, would melt,
Thaw, and resolue it selfe into a Dew:
Or that the Euerlasting had not fixt
His Cannon 'gainst Selfe-slaughter. O God, O God!
How weary, stale, flat, and vnprofitable
Seemes to me all the vses of this world?
Fie on't? Oh fie, fie, 'tis an vnweeded Garden
That growes to Seed: Things rank, and grosse in Nature
Possesse it meerely.
Links:
First Folio: https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/doc/Ham_F1/complete/index.html
Folgers (uncut): https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/hamlet/read/