Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, July 15 to 25, 2015
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: TBC
Part review will appear in the next post at 5pm today, after publication online in Herald Sun on Thurs 16 July 2015. KH
Any
company staging Shakespeare’s masterful tragedy, Hamlet, confronts an
intimidating history of exceptional productions, unhelpful comparisons, high expectations,
and the challenge of finding a novel interpretation of a play that has been
analysed to its last word.
Prince
Hamlet’s (Josh McConville) Denmark is a country riddled with
internal and external conflict, secrets and lies, the consequence being that no
one trusts anyone.
In
his production, director, Damien Ryan, pushes the boundaries of this inherent mistrust
and deception, depicting Denmark as a Stasi-like police state with its royal palace
of Elsinore littered with eavesdroppers, bugging devices and spies.
Hamlet’s character is intricate and his behaviour is
often illogical or contradictory, but his introspection, self-doubt, vanity,
intelligence and self-righteousness are catalysts for some of Shakespeare’s
most achingly beautiful speeches.
McConville
is unexpected casting for the role of Hamlet and his interpretation is often
surprising and offbeat, giving Hamlet the manner of a smart but scruffy street
brat rather than an entitled, rich brat...continues. KH
By
Kate Herbert
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