Production: The Australian Shakespeare Company - Hamlet
Melbourne Botanical Gardens - Until 9 February
Melbourne and summer means one thing. Shakespeare in the Botanical Gardens.
From December to March, the Australian Shakespeare Company, a ragtag bunch of players takes residence in the bat-blown theatre space near The Shrine.
And they are wonderful.
This is theatre in the garden. It's not perfect. It's not cerebral. It never is. It's not supposed to be. But it is always very entertaining, and Shakespeare is always better when you have a gin and tonic in your hand and hot pizza, delivered by Uber Eats half an hour before curtain up. This a picnic races version of Shakespeare. It's there to be enjoyed, not ruminated over.
The Australian Shakespeare Company didn't disappoint - although comparing this with last year's really good Macbeth, it's didn't quite make the same standard - but I'm still not complaining. As a self-described Shakespeare boffin I can be critical. I won't criticise this performance. It does what it sets out to do - entertain.
See, for me, the thing with performances of Hamlet, the devil is in the detail. I've seen barking mad Hamlets (Benedict Cumberbatch at the RSC - wow) , I've seen cunning Hamlets (Stephen Dinnane in London about 25 years ago was amazing), I've seen good, solid Hamlets (Mel Gibson's film version comes into this trope) and then the full, well rounded Hamlets (think the four hour film version done by Kenneth Brannagh.) And of course there;s the alternative Hamlets - Brannagh's In the Bleak Midwinter and Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead are both magical.
Then there are the Hamlets who take your breath away. Here's Andrew Scott. This gives me chills every time I watch it.
This version is a fine, basic, starter Hamlet. Andre de Vanny does a good job as the gloomy Dane. It's not a delicately refined performance, but he's not bad either. He's not somebody you warm to immediately, coming across in the early scenes as a petulant and spoiled brat, but his performance deepens as the play goes on.
There were some good performances. Emily Goddard was great as Ophelia - her mad scenes were believable and affecting. Brian Lipson's Polonius was touching and nuanced. He made what is often an annoying character incredibly sympathetic - which can be very hard. He was one of the best things about the show.
Alison Whyte's Gertrude was slightly underwhelming. After seeing her Lady Macbeth last year, she was a little too subdued to give the role the gravitas it deserved, however, she is very aware of her worth. The bedroom scene was uncomfortable in places - a sign the director and actors are doing their job.
Andrew Coshan's Laertes and Matthew Connell's Horatio were also really solid.
Thanks to a reasonable breeze, there were a few issues with the sound. Nothing major, but you forgive these sorts of things because you're sitting on a picnic blanket with a drink in your hand.
Also, the play has been abridged. The major speeches are there, but some scenes have been cut short or dropped completely. For the boffins, you know where the gaps are, but they've done a good job keeping the flow of the play.
In all, this is a good basic Hamlet. It's one to take the kids to, with a picnic and take it all in. As always, the Australian Shakespeare Company has done good. They know their market and their setting.
I'm looking forward to Twelfth Night in a few weeks time if I can score a ticket.
Today's Song:
Melbourne Botanical Gardens - Until 9 February
Melbourne and summer means one thing. Shakespeare in the Botanical Gardens.
From December to March, the Australian Shakespeare Company, a ragtag bunch of players takes residence in the bat-blown theatre space near The Shrine.
And they are wonderful.
This is theatre in the garden. It's not perfect. It's not cerebral. It never is. It's not supposed to be. But it is always very entertaining, and Shakespeare is always better when you have a gin and tonic in your hand and hot pizza, delivered by Uber Eats half an hour before curtain up. This a picnic races version of Shakespeare. It's there to be enjoyed, not ruminated over.
The Australian Shakespeare Company didn't disappoint - although comparing this with last year's really good Macbeth, it's didn't quite make the same standard - but I'm still not complaining. As a self-described Shakespeare boffin I can be critical. I won't criticise this performance. It does what it sets out to do - entertain.
See, for me, the thing with performances of Hamlet, the devil is in the detail. I've seen barking mad Hamlets (Benedict Cumberbatch at the RSC - wow) , I've seen cunning Hamlets (Stephen Dinnane in London about 25 years ago was amazing), I've seen good, solid Hamlets (Mel Gibson's film version comes into this trope) and then the full, well rounded Hamlets (think the four hour film version done by Kenneth Brannagh.) And of course there;s the alternative Hamlets - Brannagh's In the Bleak Midwinter and Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead are both magical.
Then there are the Hamlets who take your breath away. Here's Andrew Scott. This gives me chills every time I watch it.
This version is a fine, basic, starter Hamlet. Andre de Vanny does a good job as the gloomy Dane. It's not a delicately refined performance, but he's not bad either. He's not somebody you warm to immediately, coming across in the early scenes as a petulant and spoiled brat, but his performance deepens as the play goes on.
There were some good performances. Emily Goddard was great as Ophelia - her mad scenes were believable and affecting. Brian Lipson's Polonius was touching and nuanced. He made what is often an annoying character incredibly sympathetic - which can be very hard. He was one of the best things about the show.
Alison Whyte's Gertrude was slightly underwhelming. After seeing her Lady Macbeth last year, she was a little too subdued to give the role the gravitas it deserved, however, she is very aware of her worth. The bedroom scene was uncomfortable in places - a sign the director and actors are doing their job.
Andrew Coshan's Laertes and Matthew Connell's Horatio were also really solid.
Thanks to a reasonable breeze, there were a few issues with the sound. Nothing major, but you forgive these sorts of things because you're sitting on a picnic blanket with a drink in your hand.
Also, the play has been abridged. The major speeches are there, but some scenes have been cut short or dropped completely. For the boffins, you know where the gaps are, but they've done a good job keeping the flow of the play.
In all, this is a good basic Hamlet. It's one to take the kids to, with a picnic and take it all in. As always, the Australian Shakespeare Company has done good. They know their market and their setting.
I'm looking forward to Twelfth Night in a few weeks time if I can score a ticket.
Today's Song:
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