Hamlet, again May 25, 2009
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany , trackbackFinally, I’ve been to Teatro Technis, a small Cypriot theatre is just up the road. I’m not quite sure how I’ve managed to be so remiss for so long, but it was worth the wait.
It’s brave of the semi-professional Tower Theatre Company to stage Hamlet in between the wonderful RSC / David Tennant production last Christmas and the Donmar’s version with Jude Law this summer but they’re clearly up to the task.
Paul Jacobs’ Hamlet is physical and expressive, perhaps with a nod to Tennant’s.
Ophelia is sometimes a bit wishy-washy, and certainly wasn’t particularly note- worthy in the RSC production, but here Haidee Elise gives us a forceful tragic figure whose anger and frustration with Hamlet’s rejection of her is deeply moving.
Elise is listed as a costume designer in previous Tower productions, and I wonder if she had a hand in the beautiful costume she wears after Polonious’ death, as she goes mad with grief. All the costumes are sumptuously designed, albeit clearly on a budget – Edwardian dress with a twist of colour patched onto dark suits.
To keep to time, scenes with Fortinbras are removed, and the players much reduced. Combined with a Claudius who’s anger is barely controlled, the political aspects of the story are given much less emphasis and this Hamlet is more simply the family tragedy.
I saw the last night of this, on 23 May, so it’s too late to recommend it. This is the second play I’ve seen by the Tower Theatre Company. I expect there will be many more.
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