Hamlet

Synopsis

Written between 1599 and 1601. The play, set in Denmark, recounts how Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father, the King, and then taken the throne and married Gertrude, Hamlet's mother. The play vividly charts the course of real and feigned madness - from overwhelming grief to seething rage - and explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption.

Our Review:

9 February 2011

Current outbreaks of protest and civil disobedience bring relevance to director Nicholas Hytner’s powerful modern-dress version of Hamlet. Denmark is a frightening unstable political regime and apprehensive lighting by Jon Clark creates a shadowy environment that conceals spectres and, worse, spies.

This context opens up new perspectives on the play. In a society in which anyone who represents a challenge or potential embarrassment is assassinated Hamlet’s reluctance to act may be because it would put others- the players or Ophelia (a vulnerable and fragile Ruth Negga)– at risk.

Rory Kinnear’s Hamlet is a revelation. This is not an introspective prince but rather one who questions all authority - even God. His humble, deeply human, interpretation in no way interferes with the lyricism of the verse even though some of the most famous speeches are delivered fag in hand.

Hytner ensures th...

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