These are but wild and whirling words
I just watched the BBC/Illuminations/RSC Hamlet. It was...pretty damn good.
But, it did not pass the test. If a production of Hamlet is truly, incredibly exceptional, I will cry. Somehow, the death of Tennant Hamlet did not make me cry. Only one has done that and I love them for it.
Characters
I love when companies double-cast King Hamlet/the Ghost and Claudius. It's always amazing. It definitely adds more punch to lines like Claudius was "no more like my father than I to Hercules" and Hamlet's confrontation with his mother later. Also, Patrick Stewart made Claudius kind of adorable. Until "words without thoughts never to heaven go," anyway.
Speaking of Gertrude, I loved her. Until they decided to have that Cruella moment and make her an alcoholic. Admittedly, that had ramifications with her "I will" as she drank at the end. Still strange. (I prefer the defiant Gertrude in one of the versions. Claudius was more of a tyrant and she was tired of it.) Also, there was a lot of Gertrude/Hamlet subtext that I've never seen before. Yes, he is slightly preoccupied with her "incestuous bed," but really?
Polonius was incredible. Absolutely spot-on. He was supposed to be that rambling, confused old man that no one takes seriously. And it was really cute when Ophelia and Laertes finished lines from the "give thy thoughts no tongue" speech. But then Polonius delivered "to thine own self be true" seriously and like he meant it.
Laertes and Opehlia. They're always an interesting pair. There's usually much more going on between them than Gertrude and Hamlet. Neither of which I understand. But Laertes was much more convincing than Ophelia--I've always thought of her as kind of quietly, eerily crazy. Not the flailing mess she was. And then singing the "St. Valentine" to Claudius? And pulling the condoms out of Laertes' suitcase. Might have been overkill.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were also pretty good. It seems like there should have been more of them. At any rate, they would've done well in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
And Hamlet. David Tennant was amazing. No doubt about it. I sorely missed his Scottish accent. And he channeled the Doctor maybe a bit too much. But the man can definitely do Shakespeare. And it was an entirely new Hamlet, so major points there!
Staging
Sets and costumes were gorgeous. Nothing was over-done, nor was it too simple. (Branagh's version is kind of bombastic with the sets and Gibson's is not enough.) I had worried about the costumes, but they actually worked. I didn't even mind the red muscle shirt in context. (The outfit David had on during the gravedigger scene was regrettable, but that's just me ogling David.) The fencing jacket with jeans was a nice touch, especially in contrast to Laertes
I did not appreciate the soliloquies being delivered to the camera. Asides are delivered directly to the audience (meta), but not soliloquies. The security camera thing was annoying in the beginning, but worked out nicely. (I loved seeing through the camera and not being able to see the Ghost. And then the "get thee to a nunnery" spying scene--"where is your father?", after which he wrenched it from the wall.) The video camera got a little bothersome, though. A little Blair Witch.
And they kind of did "to be or not to be" right--Hamlet was just outside the room where Ophelia was. I do think Polonius' asides in that scene would've worked better delivered to the glass, rather than to the camera. Since Claudius is there and they're actually for him, anyway.
Also, Hamlet's speech as he's musing to kill Claudius worked incredibly well as [mostly] a voice-over. I never really believed that Claudius wouldn't hear him if he was standing right over (or near or whatever) him like that.
The Catholicism element was irksome. Horatio had a rosary and there were several times characters made the sign of the cross. And the priest was clearly a Catholic priest. That was kind of creative liberty, though there is the hint that King Hamlet is a purgatorial ghost, having been doomed to walk the nights and spend the days in fire. (And he was smoking, though not burning. That was awesome.)
The first Hamlet and Ghost scene was absolutely brilliant. Branagh's was incredibly over-dramatic and the rest weren't memorable. It was just perfect. And that he drew his sword on Horatio and company before following the Ghost.
It also kind of seems like Hamlet became crazy through the Ghost's touch. I don't think I've ever seen them actually touch before and it was beautiful. But, sure he says he's planning it, but there are moments where I believe he's delved into madness. (I mean, at "Oh, pernicious woman," which is pretty early for a production.) David's crazy was also pretty incredible. I loved the whistling with the music before "The Mousetrap" and some of the other bits. That's truly the lighter side of the play and it was nice to see it done well. (I can't decide if the "Do you think I speak of cunt-ry matters was amusing or just wrong, though. Probably the latter.)
The little interrogation scene was nice, although I really feel bad for David if he had to have that tape ripped off him several nights a week. Ouch!
And I loved Hamlet dressing for the duel in front of the shattered mirror. (With Horatio.)
And the ending was gorgeous! (It does feel a bit weird to me that Claudius just drank the poisoned wine.)
Overall, it was pretty good. I'd love a true, age-appropriate Hamlet one day. And I was kind of upset with them for cutting that final Fortinbras scene. (Why does no one do that scene?) But it was good.
And that turned out to be WAY longer than I planned.
I hope everyone had a merry Christmas (and Boxing Day, if that applies)! And Doctor Who tonight on BBC America for those who haven't already seen it!
But, it did not pass the test. If a production of Hamlet is truly, incredibly exceptional, I will cry. Somehow, the death of Tennant Hamlet did not make me cry. Only one has done that and I love them for it.
Characters
I love when companies double-cast King Hamlet/the Ghost and Claudius. It's always amazing. It definitely adds more punch to lines like Claudius was "no more like my father than I to Hercules" and Hamlet's confrontation with his mother later. Also, Patrick Stewart made Claudius kind of adorable. Until "words without thoughts never to heaven go," anyway.
Speaking of Gertrude, I loved her. Until they decided to have that Cruella moment and make her an alcoholic. Admittedly, that had ramifications with her "I will" as she drank at the end. Still strange. (I prefer the defiant Gertrude in one of the versions. Claudius was more of a tyrant and she was tired of it.) Also, there was a lot of Gertrude/Hamlet subtext that I've never seen before. Yes, he is slightly preoccupied with her "incestuous bed," but really?
Polonius was incredible. Absolutely spot-on. He was supposed to be that rambling, confused old man that no one takes seriously. And it was really cute when Ophelia and Laertes finished lines from the "give thy thoughts no tongue" speech. But then Polonius delivered "to thine own self be true" seriously and like he meant it.
Laertes and Opehlia. They're always an interesting pair. There's usually much more going on between them than Gertrude and Hamlet. Neither of which I understand. But Laertes was much more convincing than Ophelia--I've always thought of her as kind of quietly, eerily crazy. Not the flailing mess she was. And then singing the "St. Valentine" to Claudius? And pulling the condoms out of Laertes' suitcase. Might have been overkill.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were also pretty good. It seems like there should have been more of them. At any rate, they would've done well in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
And Hamlet. David Tennant was amazing. No doubt about it. I sorely missed his Scottish accent. And he channeled the Doctor maybe a bit too much. But the man can definitely do Shakespeare. And it was an entirely new Hamlet, so major points there!
Staging
Sets and costumes were gorgeous. Nothing was over-done, nor was it too simple. (Branagh's version is kind of bombastic with the sets and Gibson's is not enough.) I had worried about the costumes, but they actually worked. I didn't even mind the red muscle shirt in context. (The outfit David had on during the gravedigger scene was regrettable, but that's just me ogling David.) The fencing jacket with jeans was a nice touch, especially in contrast to Laertes
I did not appreciate the soliloquies being delivered to the camera. Asides are delivered directly to the audience (meta), but not soliloquies. The security camera thing was annoying in the beginning, but worked out nicely. (I loved seeing through the camera and not being able to see the Ghost. And then the "get thee to a nunnery" spying scene--"where is your father?", after which he wrenched it from the wall.) The video camera got a little bothersome, though. A little Blair Witch.
And they kind of did "to be or not to be" right--Hamlet was just outside the room where Ophelia was. I do think Polonius' asides in that scene would've worked better delivered to the glass, rather than to the camera. Since Claudius is there and they're actually for him, anyway.
Also, Hamlet's speech as he's musing to kill Claudius worked incredibly well as [mostly] a voice-over. I never really believed that Claudius wouldn't hear him if he was standing right over (or near or whatever) him like that.
The Catholicism element was irksome. Horatio had a rosary and there were several times characters made the sign of the cross. And the priest was clearly a Catholic priest. That was kind of creative liberty, though there is the hint that King Hamlet is a purgatorial ghost, having been doomed to walk the nights and spend the days in fire. (And he was smoking, though not burning. That was awesome.)
The first Hamlet and Ghost scene was absolutely brilliant. Branagh's was incredibly over-dramatic and the rest weren't memorable. It was just perfect. And that he drew his sword on Horatio and company before following the Ghost.
It also kind of seems like Hamlet became crazy through the Ghost's touch. I don't think I've ever seen them actually touch before and it was beautiful. But, sure he says he's planning it, but there are moments where I believe he's delved into madness. (I mean, at "Oh, pernicious woman," which is pretty early for a production.) David's crazy was also pretty incredible. I loved the whistling with the music before "The Mousetrap" and some of the other bits. That's truly the lighter side of the play and it was nice to see it done well. (I can't decide if the "Do you think I speak of cunt-ry matters was amusing or just wrong, though. Probably the latter.)
The little interrogation scene was nice, although I really feel bad for David if he had to have that tape ripped off him several nights a week. Ouch!
And I loved Hamlet dressing for the duel in front of the shattered mirror. (With Horatio.)
And the ending was gorgeous! (It does feel a bit weird to me that Claudius just drank the poisoned wine.)
Overall, it was pretty good. I'd love a true, age-appropriate Hamlet one day. And I was kind of upset with them for cutting that final Fortinbras scene. (Why does no one do that scene?) But it was good.
And that turned out to be WAY longer than I planned.
I hope everyone had a merry Christmas (and Boxing Day, if that applies)! And Doctor Who tonight on BBC America for those who haven't already seen it!