Hamlet and Hail To The Thief converge strikingly in feverent new adaptation
‘Hamlet Hail to the Thief’ is a co-production between the Royal Shakespeare Company and Factory International, running at Aviva Studios Home of Factory International, Manchester until 18 May before transferring to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon from 4 June – 28 June.
Whilst Shakespeare’s play in this adaptation is abridged, with a running time of 1 hour 45 minutes, it feels anything but limited, illuminated by Radiohead’s album and poignant physical theatre sequences. Both of these aspects deliver the plot just as well as the full length play, if not with more vigour and emotion. The live band are positioned onstage, and therefore watch the action of the play unfold throughout. Their constant watch adds to the paranoia Hamlet feels as he becomes governed by madness. It also sets the precedent that the music is inseparable from the narrative. The instrumentation and dialogue don’t take turns in this adaptation, but rather they feast off of each other.
Samuel Blenkin’s portrayal of Hamlet leaves little to be desired. Whilst he captures his madness undeniably, with his erratic physicality and shrill outbursts, what I enjoyed most was the sass he injects into the character. Be it with the odd physical jest or sarcastic tone, Samuel knows how to modernise Hamlet’s wit.
The influence of a female director is evident with the portrayal of Ophelia. The first time we see a character, rather than a musician, sing on stage is when Ophelia is about to die. Being the first character to sing inherently gives her status, and places value on her voice. Ami Tredrea sings a chilling rendition of Sail To The Moon, which was a standout moment for me. As she sings, the characters follow her around the stage, and are swept away with one motion of her hand – which again, reiterates her agency. She is anything but docile in this production.
All of the physical theatre in this production facilitates powerful storytelling. The Frantic Assembly influence from co-director Steven Hoggett is undoubtedly present. One of my favorite moments is the iconic play within a play scene, told entirely through the macabre movements of three actors. Another is the final fight scene, which captures the desperation of Hamlet as he fights gradually more and more unmethodically.
The set by AMP featuring Sadra Tehrani is nothing groundbreaking – a black castle backdrop with two levels – however, anything more may have felt obnoxious amidst so much going on. It is, however, interacted with beautifully. Particularly with the opening of an illuminated trap that Ophelia pauses to stare at hauntingly, before falling into. My favourite use of the set was the thrilling choice to have the ghost of Hamlet’s father displayed through a projection against the large back wall. Utilising the vast scale of the Warehouse to project an incredibly sizeable ghost, with a booming voice and distorted face, allowed us to join Hamlet in his terror. He is so unnerving, but therefore exciting to behold. Lighting wise, the only strobe sequence is saved for the final scene and lasts roughly two minutes. This wait allowed the ending to be as climactic and intense as needed. Very satisfying!
Hamlet Hail To The Thief is an eerie, yet explosive production. It runs until 18th May at Aviva Studios, definitely catch it if you can!
Review by Lauren Lees
Great review, Lauren. My only point of contention is I’d have given it 5 stars. For me, Samuel Blenkin’s Hamlet is the best, most compelling Hamlet I’ve ever seen – and I’ve seen many over the last 40 years. I don’t think any aspect of the production – casting, staging, music, costumes – could have been bettered. After seeing it last Saturday I immediately booked to see it again before it closes.