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.

- Miranda Fay Thomas