Hamlet - The Radio Play, Online until 25 April 2021 ****

THEATRE – AUDIO ONLINE

By William Shakespeare 

Produced by Melbourne Shakespeare Company & Victorian Theatre Company 

Online to April 25 2021 2hrd 20 mins in 5 separate acts 

Tics at: MelbourneShakespeareCo (stream or download) 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

Stars: **** (4)

This review published only on this blog. KH

 Brian Lipson (L) , Mathew Connell (C) pic by Jak Scanlon

 

Having seen multiple versions of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in theatres, it is a treat to listen to this Hamlet –The Radio Play walking in the park or relaxing at home.

 

This audio production in five, downloadable acts, is deftly directed by Kurtis Lowden. It is evocative and colourful (Yes! Colourful!) with many fine performances of Shakespeare’s silken language, the stand outs being Mathew Connell as Hamlet, Brian Lipson as Polonius and Robert Menzies as The Ghost of Hamlet's father. These three are vocally impeccable and expressively interpret the poetic language.

 

Connell’s voice is honeyed and warm, subtly and intimately seeping into our ears. We can almost feel his breath on our cheeks as his Hamlet muses and struggles over his mother, Gertrude’s (Evelyn Krape) marriage to Claudius (Mark Wilson), his father’s brother, who is also his father’s murderer.

 

The inimitable Lipson conjures a delightfully daffy, well-meaning and trusty Polonius who is so lovable we want to shout into our earphones, ‘Stop! It’s Polonius behind the arras!’ Menzies' Ghost has gravitas and a sonorous resonance that almost send shivers down our spines as we listen.

 

There is much more to recommend this audio production, so get to it and download it now or you’ll miss out.

 

by Kate Herbert

 

 Robert Menzies, Pic by Jak Scanlon

 

 Mathew Connell as Hamlet, pic by Jak Scanlon

Cast:

Hamlet -Matthew Connell

Claudius - Mark Wilson 

Gertrude -Evelyn Krape 

Guildenstern - May Jasper

Horatio -Andy Song 

Laertes- Laurence Young 

Lord Osric -Andrew Carolane 

Ophelia -Emily Goddard 

Player King -Richard Moss 

Player Queen- Milijana Cancar 

Polonius -Brian Lipson  

Priest- Kurtis Lowden 

Rosenctrantz -Liliana Dalton 

The Ghost of Hamlet's father -Robert Menzies

 

Creatives:

Director- Kurtis Lowden

Producers: Jennifer Sarah, Dean Matthew Connell 

Sound design -Thomas Kunz 

Visual Design -Chelsea Neate
Photography- Jak Scanlon