By David E. Thigpen

To Speed or Not to Speed

Hollywood actors in need of a credibility infusion often turn to the instant image boost offered by performing in anything scripted by William Shakespeare. After starring in a number of films like Bird on a Wire, Mel Gibson, for example, used a turn as Hamlet to achieve some gravitas. The latest bardolatrous movie hunk is KEANU REEVES, who, passing up a $6 million offer to star in Without Remorse, traveled to a stage in Winnipeg, Canada, to transform himself from surfer dude to the glum, quibbling Prince of Denmark. And how has he done? A London Sunday Times critic wrote, "He is one of the top three Hamlets I have seen for the simple reason: he is Hamlet ... full of undercurrents and overtones."

SEEN & HEARD

Is there anyone who seems more California than STEVEN SPIELBERG? Maybe not, but he's apparently had enough of it. He and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw, have told friends they intend to relocate from Los Angeles to New York City in a year or so. The Spielbergs think Manhattan's economic and racial melting pot will be a better environment for their three children, ages six, four and two.

JOHN GRISHAM is so successful that he can sell the film rights of his novels for millions of dollars on the basis of an outline. Recently someone purloined a copy of The Rainmaker, Grisham's manuscript in progress, and that may be bad news for his next big payday. Copies were secretly faxed to agents and studios, and one player has already rejected the book as a movie property.

Battling Gurugate

Under the heading "Gurus," an item in the January Esquire reported that HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON and New Age writer Marianne Williamson were frequent lunch companions and that the author of A Woman's Worth had even tried her hand at presidential speechwriting. Last week the First Lady replied. "[Williams] is neither my guru nor my spiritual adviser," she wrote. Still, Clinton does admire Williamson. "She is a political supporter who has an intriguing view about popular culture." Clinton did not address the speechwriting question.

A Big One At Last

Nobody ever doubted her drive or her talent, but for years MARY PIERCE has had trouble keeping her composure on the tennis court. You wouldn't know it from her performance in last week's Australian Open, though: despite two double faults in the very first game, the fourth-seeded Pierce, 20, went on to a 6-3, 6-2 win in the final, beating Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, 23, the woman who denied Pierce a victory in the French Open last year. "I just haven't realized what has happened yet. I'm still reeling from it," said Pierce on winning her first Grand Slam title in a career marred by family problems: her father and ex-coach, Jim Pierce, has been barred from tour events because of his disruptive conduct during her matches. Despite the loss, Sanchez Vicario will become the world's top-ranked player, while Pierce moves to No. 3.