Hamlet (Tour – Oxford)
The mood in the Bodleian Quadrangle on Monday evening was one of damp optimism. A sizeable crowd of tourists and locals gathered to see the Globe’s touring company’s latest offering, determined not to let the weather cheat them of an enjoyable evening. Other than a little light drizzle in the first half, the clouds mostly behaved themselves, and the play did not disappoint.
A Hamlet tends to stand or fall on the quality of its lead actor, and the Globe have found a gem in Michael Benz. He is a boyish and likeable Danish prince, adeptly exploring the full emotional range of the character – from the depths of melancholy to youthful delight at being reunited with old friends to a bitter vengefulness – without ever lapsing into self-indulgence.
There are no weak links in the rest of the cast, either. This is true ensemble playing: like most small touring productions, Hamlet features numerous doublings as a cast of eight take on over two dozen roles between them. This was something I’d been a little apprehensive about: in a comedy, one can make a feature of the doubling and it all adds to the fun, but a sombre piece requires a different approach. I was pleased to find that my fears were unfounded: the playing of multiple parts is handled skilfully, without ever becoming confusing or distracting. On occasion it is even used to add extra layers of meaning: the play-within-a-play scene is particularly impressive, with some clever use of a curtain allowing Dickon Tyrrell and Miranda Foster to be both Claudius and Gertrude watching the play, and the Player King and Queen who are acting out their story.
While Hamlet remains at heart a tragedy, this doesn’t mean it’s all doom and gloom: there are plenty of lighter moments to leaven the mood. In addition to the broader comedy of the gravediggers and the long-winded speeches of Polonius (Christopher Saul), the company mines Shakespeare’s text for the maximum of wit and humour. It’s a delicate balance to strike, but the cast does it expertly: the levity never tips over into triviality, but instead provides a pleasing counterpoint to the ultimate inevitable slide into catastrophe.
The one part of the show that really didn’t work for me, however, was the ending. I gather that concluding plays with a lively jig is a Globe tradition, based on what is believed to be original Elizabethan practice. But following hot on the heels of the tragic finale, it feels out of place – and rapidly destroys the atmosphere the cast have laboured to create.
The process of that creation nevertheless remains well worth seeing. This is a pacy, engaging, accessible production – one which can stand up to the worst that the British summer can throw at it.
Meriel Patrick
