THEATRE REVIEWS

When a playwright hears a story it is stored in their mind until such time as an opportunity presents itself to mix it with other happenings, in this case the story comes from Denmark and the writer is William Shakespeare. Add to that a director with an eye for stage tableaux, a lighting designer who can see what to do with a black stage and you have something worth going to see. If what you have achieved has a connection with an educational syllabus, then you have a winner.

The playwright mixes treachery, madness, greed and family envy with the odd bit of sword fighting, to give us murder with lots of bodies as he comes up with something called Hamlet. This is a piece of work that is first rate for getting its message over in an understandable way. The packed audience were quiet, waiting on every move as they went through three and a quarter hours of intrigue.

Who was responsible for this evening at the theatre? The director was Stephen Unwin, the set designer was Michael Vale and the lighting was designed by Malcolm Rippeth and some intriguing uses of clothing designed by Mark Bouman, all within the mantle of English Touring Theatre. Now for the actors. A surprising choice for Hamlet was Ed Stoppard, being not what was expected he had a successful evening with the character showing what a young man can do with the part. The two senior members of the cast, David Robb as Claudius and Michael Cronin as Polonius and the Gravedigger, showed how the words should be delivered; some of the younger members of the cast tending to deliver the words too quickly, making them run into the one before and so causing the sense of what they were saying to be lost.

An excellent programme accompanied the play with script, articles and photographs in a nicely designed book format and above all it was readable in any situation.

The story is to be experienced by the theatre goer, not gone into in depth and so spoil the fun of what is in store for those who venture away from the television sitcom. This is a fine night out and will inspire those who have essays to write and questions to answer. Experience it and enjoy the best of British theatre. © BA

“Hamlet ” is at York from the 15th November to the 19th November, 2005 and then touring. This is a No Smoking theatre. Council car parking charge £2 visitor and £1 resident from 6pm until Midnight.