Reader Reviews
Hamlet (Old Vic Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Irritating and dull. The odd line sparkles but every character seems so insular and glib. Very disappointing. - addicted to theatre | 20 Apr 10 |
| AMAZING! I found myself truely gripped by Ben Whishaw's performance. His talent and style is uniquely fresh and raw. Never before has Hamlet been such an innocent and vulnerable boy. Just stunning. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.134.200.186) | 28 Jul 04 |
| If you are reading this, you have less than two weeks to see this play before the season ends. I truly recommend that you phone the box office and book a ticket to see this awesome production. Not only is the lead exceptional, but he is ably supported by a talented cast. I would have kicked myself if I had have missed out on seeing Nunn's fresh and modern production and Whishaw's absorbing and breathtakingly vibrant performance: I would recommend you take the necessary steps to avoid disappointment yourself... - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.129.121.32) | 19 Jul 04 |
| In over 40 years of theatregoing I have seen many Hamlets but this production was one of the very best. The acting from all concerned is remarkable - it is clear, fresh and immensely exciting. Any production of Shakespeare must be of our time in order to be successful although that does not mean it has to have a contemporary setting. This production is unquestionably of our time. Ben Whishaw is not the defintive Hamlet because there is no such thing. For example, he could not be more different from the astonishing Simon Russell Beale. But Ben's performance is deeply moving and is a model of verse speaking. This is also the best performance that I have seen from Imogen Stubbs. Trevor Nunn shows yet again that he is a great director (and that We Happy Few was an aberration). - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 18 Jul 04 |
| I loved Hamlet so much! And to think I was begging my parents to let me stay at our hotel instead! I'm from America, and the first time I saw Ben Whishaw play Hamlet, I looked at Shakspeare in a whole new light- hard for a 13 year old! I paid for me and my mother so that we could go back a second time! 3/4s of a years allowence! I was not dissapointed in Ben at all- his performence was just as stunning as the last. To all who have rated it bad or normal- you have no idea how hard it is to do a show such as Hamlet! You need to try sometime- it's not as easy as it looks! I'll never forget the time I saw Ben W. play Hamlet. I even got his autograph because I knew he's going to get big, bigger than Broadway! Kahly O'Boyle - USER: Whatsonstage.com (162.33.135.114) | 07 Jul 04 |
| A really stunning production breathing new youthful life into this play. The shadowy lighting and dark set created the perfect atmosphere. The acting kept me spellbound. See it! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.41.241.254) | 29 Jun 04 |
| some of the ignorance here about the play and theatre defies belief. This is my 23rd Hamlet in a lifetime of going to the theatre and i was blowm away by it. If you cannot see how fabulous Ben Whishaw is you have no soul, if you are not moved by his performance you have no heart and if you do not thrill to the clarity of Nunn's direction you have no brain. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.49.106.203) | 10 Jun 04 |
| Initiallyt disappointed to see Al Weaver rather than Ben W...but I absolutely loved his Hamlet and Imogen Stubbs' Gertrude and Polonius and Claudius and...gush over... 5 points easily - USER: Whatsonstage.com (213.1.45.6) | 06 Jun 04 |
| I believe this show is the best Shakespearian Production I have ever been lucky enough to see. Nicholas Jones and Rory Kinnear are a revelation and Ben Whishaw is a star in the making. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (212.159.62.29) | 12 May 04 |
| I'm amazed at the positive reviews this has been getting. It's the single worst piece of professional theatre I've ever endured with the awful central performance, full of business but no soul, making an utter mockery of the play's swirling eddies of rich language and character complexity. It'd be pathetic if it weren't so blank and dull. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (194.200.65.239) | 11 May 04 |
| Whishaw made Hamlet make sense for me, a student myself, but a few few problems elsewhere in the production. Worth a look. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.154.72.124) | 03 May 04 |
| Hamlet suggests, during the course of Act 3 scene 2, that the purpose of the theatre is "...to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature", and it seems that this play more than any other acts as a reflection of those involved its realisation, and of the own times and circumstances of its production. Director Trevor Nunn's first production of Hamlet was as a student in 1957, and it is to these youthful experiences that he returns in this latest staging of the world's most famous play. Most of his 17-strong company are in their 20s, and many are appearing in their first professional productions. "Something extraordinary happens when the characters who are students in Shakespeare's story are being played by people of exactly student age", writes Nunn, and indeed the greatest life is injected into Shakespeare's words by the younger members of the cast. Samantha Wishaw's Ophelia is a petulant teenager, playing with her hair and relishing small acts of rebellion against Nicholas Jones' resplendently pompous Lord Chamberlain Polonius. In her descent into madness Ophelia seems to regress into childhood, jumping on beds and crudely mis-applying make-up with the inexperience of a much younger girl struggling to survive in a suddenly very grown-up world. Rory Kinnear gives Laertes a tangible physical presence and brings a sense of the dangerous impulsive to the fore of the character. However, the most startling ingredient here is the breakout performance from Ben Wishaw as the student Prince. Twitching about the stage in almost feral expressions of grief and frustration, his "antic disposition" of feigned 'madness' is evident not only in his wordplay and unpredictability but in a grotesquely distorted silhouette, hobbling around the echoing stone halls of the castle Elsinore with a trace of the palsic and toeing each wall as if obsessive-complusive. Wishaw clearly wants to give a sense of unease to his audience, both on and offstage, and the corruption of his naive, animal innocence into the uncompromising, unfeeling quest for revenge which proves so damaging to those he loves and lives with is indeed painful to watch. The elder members of the cast, including Imogen Stubbs as a sexually desperate Gertrude and Tom Mannion, who at times lacks stature and dominance of his court as Claudius, perhaps serve as a guiding and educational influence on the company, but often seem to fade into the background against the vibrance of the youthful performers. Paul Pyant's excellent lighting design makes full use of John Gunter's set, in which passages and a vast staircase take us deep into the heart of this high-walled, harshly jagged citadel. Over-long and ultimately unnecessary scene-changes slow the pace, however, and much of the costume and sound work often seems simplistic, unsubtle and uninspired. Nunn needs to trust his actors and audience to create, for instance, the bedroom of a teenage girl, without excessive set dressing and blaring garage-rock tunes. The perception of youth from older practitioners often seems to jar with the real thing shown by the performers. The moments of natural invention and charisma displayed by the cast are too often isolated in contrast to the 'yoof-appeal' determination of the production. Following Nicholas Hytner's excellently delivered Henry V for a 20th century war (last year at the National Theatre), the Blair-ite sycophants in Claudius' court and the ominous presence of armed security guards give a world recognisable at least from Hollywood and from popular satire, and present as effective a barrier as the imposing castle walls for the youth to seek to assert themselves against. The tragic failure of this from all achieves real resonance for the spectator, and the potential of this young group to engage and enthral is undeniable. Sandy King Reading - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.253.96.44) | 01 May 04 |
| Well, I eat my ham and chips! Hamlet confounded my expectations and was mostly brilliant with some superb performances, especially by Hamlet himself, the weird and anorexic looking guy who played (really badly!) Brother Jasper in His Dark Materials. Obviously he has been given the right direction here and creates a definitive Hamlet, so young twitchy and insecure (a hint of a youthful Frank Spencer?)that never again should Hamlet be cast with anyone beyond teenage! It's set NOW, like the Essex nouveau riche taking over the family castle, but with enough subtleties to make it look like it was written with the 21st century in mind. "To be or not to be" with pills and Evian to hand, was a revelation. The sound of helicopters adds a frisson; the introduction of swordplay is logically plotted; and, maybe for the first time ever, the gravedigging scene is both comic and shocking. A very talented cast, some old familiar some young new faces, but I particularly liked Nicholas Jones as a pin-striped Polonius, and an Ophelia straight out of secondary modern. Gertrude obviously used Diana as a role model; a black Horatio, described in the prog as "a poor student friend of Hamlet", was indeed just that, and backpacked too. And three cheers for excellent speaking - no-one gabbled the verse and you could hear almost every word (at the back of the Circle). Recommended, even for those who have already collected too many or maybe even smoke 'em. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.43.173.178) | 01 May 04 |
| Overall an excellent production. Hamlet was at times inspired and always up to the task. Ophelia on the other hand...poor girl, she obviously has some talent but allowing her to witter on in that way does her no favours. Her lack of training shows. A shallow performance..through lack of experience I suspect. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.93.34.14) | 30 Apr 04 |
| I really enjoyed this because of Ben Whishaw whose performance I thought was excellent. I've never really felt an emotional connection to this character as he is so self obsessed and inward, but here we have a vulnerable fragile boy/man and its much easier to empathise. However when he's not on stage it gets v dull. Ophelia was dreadful - ate the text and it was impossible to understand, and the less said about Imogen Stubbs the better frankly - she had lots of lovely frocks for us to look at anyway put it that way. But Whishaw makes this definately worth seeing. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.69.37.108) | 30 Apr 04 |
| I'm very puzzled by the almost-unanimous praise this production is receiving, certainly in the press, less so here. For the sake of the small and often overlooked detail that Hamlet is supposed to be a student, we have a production built entirely around the prince being a disaffected college boy, with Ophelia a flighty schoolgirl. I didn't mind any of this at first, but as the action progressed it dawned on me that although Ben Wishaw is a good actor in the making he was unable to provide the depth and intensity this role needs, and which a more mature performer could bring. The standout performance for me is Rory Kinnear who immediately lifts proceedings with his vengeful Laertes, and is very moving in his final death-scene reconciliation with the dying Hamlet. In fact, the play takes over during those climactic scenes, delivering an inherent impact that can't be diminished by the lightness I felt the youth-oriented slant brought otherwise. Modern-practices productions don't bother me as a rule but in this some of the contemporary trappings got in the way a bit - the bursts of indie pop and dance music that punctuated scene changes seemed bolted-on in a rather token way, for example. But if people of school/college age are drawn to this production and become interested in Shakespeare and theatre generally, I can't quibble! THE SUBURBANITE - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.74.155.103) | 30 Apr 04 |
| I enjoy shakespere, but i will never see hamlet again. The acting by the young actors was in no way entertaining. I started to do work in it and manged to write my report ( much to my teacher's surprise) as it was painfully slow as dragged through 3 hours and 45 minuites, during which you saw less and less of the actor's ability. It accually made you feel ill, with the pathetic women roles. There was no strengh to the play at all, Hamlet is a tradgy is many ways! - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.0.67.209) | 28 Apr 04 |
| Well the young Hamlet has today found himself the toast of the West End. He IS this production and worth the ticket price and the 3h 45min length. It is not all great and Ms Stubbs and Miss Whittaker are daring and diffrent but not pulling it off at all. Polonius was good and added much needed comic rest. Costume works but the set is DULL and bland but with great use of the space. The whole thing takes a real nose dive in act 2 around 'the play' but then from the grave diggers onwards picks up well. It is Ben Whishaw night, he gets 5***** but the rest brings it down to 4. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (217.13.129.151) | 28 Apr 04 |
| Ben Whishaw is a brilliant Hamlet in a decent production. The show has practically been sold on the 'youth' angle but it really is applied consistently and in a way that takes you on something of a journey - at his first appearance, I was ready to dismiss Hamlet as too much the sulky adolescent but by the end was really rooting for him. When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern turn up, you really feel that this is the St Andrews crowd visiting from university, and Whishaw displays exactly the awkward but proud hospitality to them you'd expect. His resignation to the fact that even his buddies are spying on him is very moving. He and Tom Mannion's Claudius speak excellently: every line makes you think and understand. Polonius, Laertes and Ophelia really do work as a close family unit. Ophelia's teenager is a good idea but badly acted. But that's the play's fault as much as anything. There isn't enough to sympathise with prior to her interminable mad scene. And I was very aware of Act 2's difficult 30 minutes without Hamlet on stage. Very enjoyable, primarily but not soley for Whishaw's very special performance. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (81.130.57.139) | 28 Apr 04 |
| I was quite struck by 23-year old Ben Whishaw's performance - he holds your attention. Initially, I thought he came across as a bit fey, slightly camp, but warmed to him as the performance progressed. The youthful approach to 'Hamlet' forces you to look with fresh eyes at roles like Claudius and Gertrude. Instead of Sarah Kestleman or Sylvia Sims (in the previous productions that I've seen), you get Imogen Stubbs. Otherwise, the cast was largely very strong and the set and lighting were effective. Overall, it was impressive. Andrew B - USER: Whatsonstage.com (193.130.127.205) | 28 Apr 04 |
| 22nd April evening performance was really quite good. A real clarity to the evening, with Whishaw and Kinnear especially good. Ophelia less so. Many cheers from the audience at the end. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.6.114.221) | 23 Apr 04 |
| good, but not breathtaking - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.157.51.244) | 22 Apr 04 |
| Painful - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.49.162.116) | 21 Apr 04 |
