The Man Who Was Hamlet
The true identity of the author of Hamlet has been something of
a hot topic of late, what with publication of James Shapiro’s
‘Contested Will’ being one of the most recent and high-profile forays
into the myth surrounding the ever-elusive William Shakespeare. George
Dillon’s latest theatrical exploration capitalises on this myth: his
one-man show looks into the life of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford and
possible contender for the true author of the Bard’s works – or at the
very least, the inspiration for the character of Hamlet.
I’m more than a little baffled by Dillon’s decision to create a play
around such conspiracy theory. Given the academia surrounding claims
favouring de Vere, it seems impolitic to side with such a theory –
however entertaining such an imagined story might be. I concede that
Dillon’s performance is compelling enough to sustain the 90-minute
show, despite being hilariously hammy at times. Despite this, it is
little more than a bastardisation of Hamlet with a fashionable
– if unfounded – conspiracy theory attached.
around such conspiracy theory. Given the academia surrounding claims
favouring de Vere, it seems impolitic to side with such a theory –
however entertaining such an imagined story might be. I concede that
Dillon’s performance is compelling enough to sustain the 90-minute
show, despite being hilariously hammy at times. Despite this, it is
little more than a bastardisation of Hamlet with a fashionable
– if unfounded – conspiracy theory attached.
– Miranda Fay Thomas
