Hamlet
William
Shakespeare
What can
make a much-known, often-seen classic like Hamlet worth visiting
one more time? Certainly, hearing
the poetic majesty of familiar lines and witnessing yet again the young Hamlet
struggle with his questions of life and death can be compelling reasons. But added to that draw is seeing a
production like Stanford’s where a talented, much-traveled director like Rob
Melrose takes a young, mostly non-actor cast and shapes it into a riveting, close
to word-and-action-perfect production.
While maybe not Oregon Shakespeare or Stratford-on-Avon quality, this
group of would-be thespians has been instructed and shaped in the past two months
by Melrose into a troupe that most theatres would be proud to present. Every element of the staging and acting
seems to have been the result of much study and discussion, resulting in a deep
understanding of the Bard’s words, the historical context, and the power of
living in the footsteps of one’s character.
Each of
the members of this large cast brings unique and nuanced interpretations to
their familiar characters. In the
title role, Andre Walker Amarotico shows a wide range of all the emotions
Shakespeare provides as possibilities in the words he gives Hamlet. Mr. Amarotico does so with brash aplomb
and full command of his own stage and seems both larger than life and yet
totally vulnerable. His moppy
head, playful hops on stairs, and rides on banisters give him a boyish tone
even as he turns a more and more sour, mad, and vengeful adult. Many kudos also go to other key
players. Whether it is the mad,
nightmarish rants of the crazed Ophelia (Jessica Waldman); the comical listing of
fatherly admonishments by Tynan Challenor’s Polonius to his departing son
Laertes; the high-society, stiff-necked airs of Kiki Bagger’s Queen Gerturde or
her later anguished, guilty wails as she stands accused by her son of henious
crimes, this cast generally rises well above its expected abilities on this
university stage.
Where
astounding direction comes particularly into play is the physicality of this
production. These young actors
slap with hands, pound with fists, fall flat face, and sword fight with such
force and vigor that even those of us only a few yards away could hardly
believe we were seeing only staged versions rather than real acts. The force of Shakespeare’s drama comes
right at us as an audience through the audacity of action these actors bring to
their parts. The winners are we who
get to witness a young group of aspiring actors take on the Bard with surprising
maturity.
Rating: 4
E’s
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