Summary
A fresh take on a classic that cares deeply about nuanced character, engaging set design – and snappy fashion!
When you’re dealing with what is arguably the most famous play in the English language, how do you keep it fresh? When you’re Bell Shakespeare, and have been performing it since their earliest days 30 years ago, you do it by stripping it back to its essentials.
For their pearl anniversary year, their current Artistic Director Peter Evans casts Harriet Gordon-Anderson as the Danish prince, joining the likes of Diane Venora, Sarah Bernhardt and Ruth Negga to make her mark on the state of Denmark.
Dressed all in black, sporting a stylish turtleneck, trousers and coat to go with the show’s 1960s vibe, Gordon-Anderson’s Hamlet is neither overtly male or female. Which is not to say necessarily androgynous, but a figure defined entire by the cut of the character. Which is no easy feat when said character has some of the best known pieces of dialogue in the world. The kind that people don’t just anticipate but mouth along with the cast.
Anna Tregloan’s 1960s Scandinavian set design looks like we’ve stepped into a elseworlds IKEA, one that both commands the stage without overwhelming it. Using a large black metal house frame (pictured above) contrasted against the stark whiteness of the never-ending snow, we often feel like we’re glimpsing inside a glass house that’s barely containing all the drama that’s about to come spilling out.
Similarly striking are the mid-60s costumes, and as the players all take the stage ahead of the opening gambit (“Who’s there?”), there’s the immediate sense we know exactly where everything and everyone has settled after the recent death of Hamlet’s father. Lisa McCune’s Jackie Kennedy-esque blue dress and shoes, for example, tell us exactly how far Gertrude is from mourning her late husband.
Yet the ostensible simplicity of this set allows us to concentrate on some incredibly nuanced performances, not least of which is from Gordon-Anderson. Hers is a Hamlet who is the definition of mad north-northwest: there’s never any doubt that Hamlet is playing up the insanity, but it also begins as an exploration of the way people treat someone suffering from depression. By the time we get to That Speech™ – with Gordon-Anderson sat on the edge of the front of stage – we may have an even deeper understanding of this 400-year-old character.
Similarly, this was one of those rare instances where I found myself partly on the side of Claudius. Shakespeare vet James Lugton plays him with just the right mix of pathos and cunning to the point that you may even wonder ‘What’s this Hamlet fellow bothered about, anyways?’ McCune, who wowed opposite Ellen Burstyn in 33 Variations last year, gives the appearance of a dutiful partner right up until the ‘behind the curtain’ scene. It’s a raw and emotional turn where every line feels like a hit (and palpable ones at that).
Sophie Wilde as Ophelia is captivating, even if you’re one of those people (like me) who never quite buys Hamlet’s affections for her. The portrait of innocence in a yellow Mod dress, her rapid descent into madness in Act IV comes complete with a showcase for her multi-talented vocal range as she sings in the wake of her father’s death. (Sidebar: look out for her late this year in Belvoir’s adaptation of Summerfolk). Honourable mentions need to be given to Jeremi Campese and Jane Mahady as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern respectively, the latter also a gender-blind casting with a hipster mod twist.
There will be some strong opinions about the play-within-a-play portion of the show, a section that can often feel weird and lethargic if not given it’s own specific energy. The trio of players have gone for laughs here, pulling shapes and hamming it up. It’s a tiny bit jarring but provides some much-needed levity before the final sword fight. The latter follows the fencing motif that we’ve seen before (think RSC’s version with David Tenant), but is no less thrilling for the familiarity.
Which brings us back to the original question about keeping it fresh. With the 2020 HAMLET, Bell Shakespeare has delivered something that feels sharply contemporary while maintaining an intangible timelessness. If their thirtieth year in business can start on this kind of high, then here’s to the next three decades.
2020 | Australia | DIRECTOR: Peter Evans | WRITERS: William Shakespeare | CAST: Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Lisa McCune, Sophie Wilde, Jeremi Campese, Jack Crumlin, James Evans, James Lugton, Jane Mahady| PRODUCTION: Bell Shakespeare| RUNNING TIME: 170 minutes incl. interval | RELEASE DATE: 5 March – 4 April 2020 (Sydney), 11- 18 April 2020 (Canberra), 25 April – 10 May (Melbourne)
