Hamlet

Bard on the Beach (Vanier Park) to September 20, 2024
Tickets from $30 at 604-739-0559, toll free at 1-877-739-0559 or www.bardonthebeach.org

Posted June 24, 2024

Director Stephen Drover does something so inspired in his adaptation of Hamlet that it almost had me in tears: Shakespeare has the ghost of Hamlet’s father, the King of Denmark,  appear to him on the castle ramparts but when Hamlet approaches, the ghost fades away, intoning “Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me.” Wait ‘til you see what Drover does with Hamlet (Nadeem Phillip Umar Khitab) and his ghostly father (Marcus Youssef). It makes your heart beat a little faster.

This Bard production is the most accessible Hamlet I’ve seen; not only does Drover contemporize it, but this cast is remarkably adept at Shakespeare’s rhythm. Of course, the performers are miked but the articulation is fantastic. The breathing. The pauses. The phrasing. This is Shakespeare for those who love Shakespeare as well as those who aren’t sure where they stand with the bard.

Drover also boldly places Hamlet’s famous soliloquy right at the beginning: Act 1, Scene 1. This is a little problematic because at this point, not having yet engaged the ghost of his father (in this production), Hamlet only knows that his uncle Claudius (Munish Sharma) has too speedily married Hamlet’s mother Gertrude (Jennifer Clement). While he may suspect Claudius of regicide, he’s not certain and his course of action not yet clear.

But Hamlet’s soliloquy is so iconic, it has the power to take over the play; all scenes lead to, “To be or not to be.” Whether we know it or not, we anticipate it. Khitab pursues all Hamlet’s contradictions, his waverings, his ponderings, with consummate skill. Director Drover and Khitab get it out of the way; we can now move into the play.

In a nutshell: Hamlet returns from university abroad to attend the funeral of his father which happens to coincide with the celebration of his mother’s hasty marriage to Hamlet’s uncle Claudius. When Hamlet discovers his father’s death was murder, he vows revenge and feigns madness.  Wanting to catch Claudius in the lie, Hamlet arranges with a couple of travelling performers (Christine Quintana and Anton Lipovetsky) to work into their act a story about a man killing his brother by pouring poison into his ear – exactly the way Hamlet’s father was killed, according to his father’s ghost.  Claudius is outraged and plots to have Hamlet assassinated. All of this turmoil interrupts Hamlet’s romantic relationship with Ophelia (Kate Besworth), daughter of the pedantic Polonius (Andrew Wheeler). At curtain, the stage is littered with bodies. In this Bard production, that littering follows an all-out brawl that spills out off the stage. Glorious riot.

The marriage celebration is exuberant with a jitterbugging Sharma and Clement leading the way. Sharma’s Claudius and Clement’s Gertrude are impeccably, elegantly dressed by costume designer Barbara Clayden as they dance up a storm. Sharma shows off some pretty rare moves that had the opening night crowd woo-whooing.

 

Hamlet, however, lurks in the shadows despite his mother imploring him to join the festivities; “All that live must die”, she tells Hamlet, assuming that his misery is due to his father’s passing and not at her too-soon marriage. Clement absolutely gets Gertrude right: giddy to be married to Claudius, fear for Hamlet’s mental state, anger over Hamlet’s accusations against Claudius and finally distraught to discover the truth about her new husband.

Besworth is bright and sweet as Ophelia who is clearly in love with Hamlet and is devastated when he turns against her: “Get thee to a nunnery.” Hamlet’s attitude has always been a bit strange – to me – at this point and director Drover appears to be shifting Hamlet’s motivation slightly. Rather than Hamlet’s fury at Ophelia agreeing to conspire with Claudius, it seems Hamlet is, in fact, trying to warn her; get away from here before it is too late. The fact that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” is clear and those who can flee should do so quickly.

Nathan Kay, so fabulously funny in Twelfth Night, is a solemn, unhappy Laertes, Ophelia’s brother. And his character’s death comes with great dignity.

Outstanding is Quintana who, with Lipovetsky, sings the song that catches Claudius. Not for a while has Quintana been featured in a major singing role and she really raises the roof.

But, naturally, every production of Hamlet succeeds or fails on its Hamlet. Khitab is wonderful: powerful – no withering, whimpering Dane here. His is a very physical presence on stage moving strongly, staking his territory. Despite Hamlet’s initial indecision – “To be or not to be” – once decided, Khitab’s Hamlet imbues the character with unstoppable fury.  Again, this is a bold move on the director’s part but it works.

Set design by Pam Johnson is astonishing when you consider that a few nights before, the same stage was transformed into a circus tent. Here, it is library with floor to ceiling shelves of books. Gerald King’s lighting enhances the ghostly scenes, turning the deceased king ashy blue.

This is a Hamlet of which Bard on the Beach can be truly proud. Invite your visitors. Show it off. Shakespeare doesn’t need all the bells and whistles to remind us the plays are still relevant, still enthralling. Rain or shine, in the big tent; get a ticket before the news gets out: this is a stellar production of one of the truly great plays in the English language.