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Theatre listings > Hamlet
- Tour.
The opening scene of his new English-speaking production of Hamlet features a dozen huge light bulbs, swinging like a pendulum high above the stage. Horatio and his two guards dressed in heavy grey metallic Medieval armour and helmets emerge through the darkness. The atmosphere is immediately menacing with the harsh sound of a crowing cock and striking gongs heralding the supernatural figure. With quick juxtaposition, we enter the grand palace, a long enclosed hall with six towering black doors all around. King, Queen and courtiers are all in flowing crimson red velvet robes, lined up like a magnificent chess board. Imperceptibly, ever so quietly, Hamlet, (Michael Maloney) dressed in a long black coat joins the gathering. He looks small, thin and delicate while his “inky cloak” and medallion chain gives a holy, priest-like appearance. Confronted by Claudius his manner initially is one of pain and sadness for his dead father rather than anger or hate. With a quiet, well-paced precision Maloney presents Hamlet outwardly as a lonely, grief stricken young man but this is an illusion. Mentally he is a lost, tortured soul, his mind full of wild thoughts and demons. In terms of interpretation, one aspect seems crystal clear. The only people Hamlet trusts apart from Horatio are the Players –he admires their acting skill and warmly greets them as old friends. They are his allies. In performing the Murder of Gonzago, they are able to speak the truth, enabling him to “catch the conscience of the King”. This is a production of theatrical moments. The swinging lightbulbs; Hamlet, afraid of what is to come, stands at the lip of the stage and almost whispers “To be or not to be”; The Players’ graceful oriental prologue dance complete with masks, bells and music; Ophelia, childlike in her virginal white dress, the elegant Gertrude in cream silk and the wizard-bearded Polonius (a dry and witty Robert Demeger). Throughout scenes are punctuated by sudden ringing bells and thunderclaps while the ensemble in sumptuous costumes in red, black and white in the black box set create a vividly surreal world of Elsinore. Ninagawa is renowned for visually exciting large scale productions with brilliant use of light, sound, imagery, movement and music. He understands what turns a classic play into modern, believable, mesmerising theatre. Another masterpiece has come to Edinburgh. ©Vivien Devlin, 26 October, 2004 - Published on EdinburghGuide.com Cast - Horatio – Bob Barrett, Claudius – Peter Egan, Laertes – Adam Dodd, Polonius – Robert Demeger, Hamlet – Michael Maloney, Gertrude – Frances Tomelty, Ophelia – Laura Rees, Ghost – Peter Egan, Rosencrantz – Brendan O’Hea, Guildenstern – Nick Bagnall, Fortinbras – Mido Hamada and Osric – Tristram Wymark. 2004 Tour Details. Tour begins 30 Sep - 9 Oct Plymouth Theatre Royal 01752 267222. 12 - 16 Oct Norwich Theatre Royal 01603 630000. 19 - 23 Oct Poole Lighthouse . 26 - 30 Oct Edinburgh King's 0131 529 600. 2 - 6 Nov Salford Lowry 0161 876 2022. 10 - 27 Nov London Barbican 020 7638 8891. 30 Nov - 4 Dec Nottingham Theatre Royal 0115 989 5555 7 - 11 Dec Bath Theatre Royal 01225 448844. Tour Ends. Theatre Editor, Thelma Good's e-mail is thelma@edinburghguide.com Although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in these pages, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. Theatre listings >
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Hamlet - Theatre Royal Pymouth & Thelma Holt Production.