Red Lab Productions and Roust Theatre Company Present

HAMLET. A VERSION

The Theater at St. Clement’s
423 West 46th St.
NY NY 10036
21 April-7 May 2017

Written by: Boris Akunin
Directed by: Irina Gachechiladze
Original Music by: Giya Kancheli
Translation by: Ileana Alexandra Orlich
Featuring: Matt Weiss, Claire Brownell, Khris Lewin Michael Propster, Joy Hameralyn, Owen Scott, James Phillip Gates, Alan I. Ross and Michael Sweeney Hammond

Shakespeare is often interpreted in various ways, and set in various locations/eras. So it is no surprise to see a new “version” of Hamlet. However, HAMLET. A VERSION, really is a different version. As the audience is getting seated, they see a plain set with very few pieces of furniture, and a lot of costume pieces strewn around. The backdrop is a scrim made of hanging strings (upon which projections appear eerily). The actors come out one by one, start to put on their costumes, and do their “actor” warmups. As they seem to be getting ready for an audience on the other side of the scrim, at the last moment, they turn to face the audience. The audience is brought into the action by a camera which projects them onto the scrim. It’s an unusual way of filling in a crowd scene!

Another way the audience knows they are not in for a typical Hamlet is that Ophelia is clearly slightly off her rocker right from the beginning. No one can blame Hamlet for making her crazy in this version! As the play progresses, there are definitely changes from the typical Hamlet. And by the end, the string metaphor makes perfect sense.

This version is an enjoyable brain tease for Hamlet fans and an accessible version for Shakespeare-shy audiences alike.

- Jean Tait -