Hamlet

I’m not sure if Shakespeare would have turned over in his grave or beamed with pride but what counts is this contemporary production of Hamlet wowed its 21st century audience.
 
There were the obvious inclusions of mobile phones, digital technology and skinny jeans, but it was Berthold’s re-invention and artistic interpretation of this tragedy that turned the original on its head. This is Shakespeare’s longest play but this modernised version included plenty of variety to keep the action moving. There is full-frontal nudity, gun fire and blood. While the show is an intense thriller, it is often interrupted by comic relief and even a cabaret-style performance. A highlight was Steve Toulmin’s self-composed song that filled the round-house theatre with haunting emotion. The audience was taken from theatre to concert in an instant.
 
 In brief, the play is the story of Hamlet’s revenge on his Uncle Claudius, who has married his mother, Gertrude, after murdering his father the King. Hamlet is visited by his father’s ghost who sends him into a mix of genuine and pretend madness. Eventually, it seems most characters follow his lead into lunacy. It is a complex drama that has the audience wondering if the confusion and erratic behaviour are an intentional addition to the insanity or just flawed story-telling. As my first Hamlet experience I found the depth of the characterisation intriguing but so involved that it was sometimes hard to keep up.
 
Toby Schmitz fiercely embraced the lead of Hamlet, stepping into the mad mind of the self-indulgent young man. He handled the waves of drama and comedy with ease and gently led the audience to accept this was not your run-of-the-mill Shakespearean production.
 
Together, Eugene Gilfedder as Claudius and Helen Howard as Gertrude were an aggressive representation of evil and guilt. Gilfedder sent shivers up my spine. He was undoubtedly a perfect choice for the unyielding Claudius. Howard had me torn between sympathy and hatred for her weaknesses as mother and wife.
 
Ophelia’s over-bearing father Polonius was played by Trevor Stuart, however he made his mark triggering laughter as the quirky and clearly mad Gravedigger.
 
Gemma Yates-Round, Ross Lowe and Thomas Larkin all made their debuts with La Boite in Hamlet and proved their potential for exciting and long-lived careers. Yates-Round as Ophelia was forever elegant and unfaltering in her innocence, which made it all the more interesting when she later lost her senses.
 
While the great performances were the guts of this show it was the edgy sound, lighting and set design that gave it intensity and originality. Collectively, they engulfed the theatre with the dark world of Hamlet taking the audience deep into the story. The artistic elements were very impressive but also the reality of features like the rain through the window and the sparks from the heater made this more of a real-life encounter, which isn’t an easy thing to achieve with Shakespeare.
 
This is exciting and forceful theatre that even those who have seen versions of Hamlet before will find refreshing.
 
Hamlet is showing until the 14th of March. Bookings on 3007 8600 or at www.laboite.com.au.