Garrett's Review of the London Theatre's Hamlet

I really enjoyed Hamlet! I wasn't quite sure what to expect, since I've only ever read Hamlet. So I don't have anything to compare it to except for other plays I've seen. That said, I think there were pros and cons to the filmed version. It was so nice to be able to zoom in and see people's facial expressions. Sometimes I miss some emotion in plays that was readily available in this format upon the faces of the actors. That said, sometimes I was willing the camera to zoom back out, since I wanted to see other character's reactions as well as the one the camera was focused on.
Either way, while some people were bothered by the varying styles of clothes and by some of the gloominess, I kind of liked that stuff. It felt pretty postmodern, since we couldn't really tell what time period they put the play in, but I think it felt purposeful—like Hamlet could exist in any time period. Also, the gloominess and darkness really added emotion to the play for me. I especially like the music that they put in, mostly during scene transitions. It was frightful and sometimes gave me goosebumps along with what had just happened in the scene. But it felt fitting, and a constant reminder that the play was ever brooding and dark. The part I will never forget was in part because of this, and was something that's not even in the original play. During scene transition right after Polonius has died, Ophelia walked on stage and to the point where her father had lain dead. There she knelt on the ground, hands held out in front of her, covered in Polonius' blood, and she just screamed. Along with the music, this was absolutely haunting.
I think that helped me enjoy the rest of Ophelia's part. She was my favorite actor, because Ophelia felt just right in this play. Her singing was really well done, and her last few lines brought me to tears.  Out of all the acting, I thought she did the best job. Someone else mentioned the camera Ophelia used. This was actually a great point, used to highlight her coming suicide. They really did build up her character with some of the set and her actions before she went mad, making it all more meaningful.
Of course, I enjoyed Benedict Cumberbatch's Hamlet as well. I thought he played the part well, giving the right emotions in each scene. He was passionate, but still able to bring the humor into the play as well.
Overall, I really enjoyed the play. The acting was well done, and along with the effects I was able to really feel emotion in the play.

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Rachel's Hamlet Review: Live v. Filmed

So I had the incredible opportunity to see this version of Hamlet live at the Barbican last fall while studying in London. And it was absolutely incredible! I thought I would use this post to review how the two versions were different: seeing it live versus seeing it filmed.

While at the Barbican, I was sitting pretty close to the stage, so when the play opens with Hamlet leaning against the boxes, we saw him rise up on to the stage, less than twenty feet away from us. This was different in the filmed version, where they faded in and he was there.

During the performance, while close to the stage, we were also not centered. You could see the whole set, but the view was not as clear as it was in the filmed version, where they could zoom in on the characters and on different scenes. I preferred being able to see the whole stage though; zooming in caused me to miss some of the background action. Some of my favorite parts occurred during Hamlet's soliloquies while seeing it live. During this "stop motion" action, when Hamlet is spotlighted and the others move slowly, it was really neat to look around at the other characters, to see how they were responding. This could not really be done in the filmed version - much of the focus was on Hamlet, and it was hard for me to not be able to see the other characters as they went through these scenes.
The filmed version was also hard to watch in that the picture became blurry at times, or the sound faltered, whereas that would not happen in the live version like it did.

The setting was really interesting to me. I loved the castle setting, and its large scale. It was neat to see just how much detail was in the set, which, while amplified and zoomed in in the filmed version, you could only see selective parts which detracted from the experience for me. The setting also allowed more characterization, with room to add or subtract things as time passed - it was really neat to see the character growth and change as the lighting got darker and darker.

Overall, when a play is filmed, you lose many elements present in the live version - your view, while closer, becomes selective. You lose the ability to see a broader picture and therefore some elements that I think are powerful to a live version. There are some interactions and instances where seeing it live allow you to draw your own conclusions versus them being drawn for you. I really enjoyed being able to see this Hamlet again, having now read the play. It brought on so much more meaning then before, and has helped me to think more on my paper topic as well.

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Hamlet Performance Analysis

At the risk of stating the obvious, this version of the play was fantastic. I was excited to watch this performance to take note of how the different director and actors interpreted the play. I saw Hamlet live in Stratford-upon-Avon this summer. The cast of that play was almost entirely black (with the exception of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) and they incorporated many African elements into that play, from the costumes to the music. Hamlet was a brooding, intense character who honestly didn't seem to love anyone, in this version. It was beautifully executed. I also have spent a lot of time in the last week watching David Tennant's version of Hamlet in small segments on YouTube. That version was incredibly done. Tennant's artistic interpretation of Hamlet's descent into madness was tantalizing. His madness seeped into every line, facial expression, and movement that Tennant made from the time that Hamlet saw the ghost of his father until the end of the play. In short, the two Hamlets that I had seen before last night's viewing lead me to understand that Hamlet can be interpreted in thousands of different ways. This got me excited to see what Cumberbatch and his corresponding cast and crew had to offer.
I loved it. While Tennant's Hamlet was terrifying and African Hamlet (sorry, I can't remember the actor's name and it probably sounds bad to call him African Hamlet but I don't know how else to specify him) was moody, Cumberbatch's Hamlet actually seemed like a conflicted, confused character. I thought he seemed very kind, which is probably an unusual way to see Hamlet, but I think that's what Cumberbatch was going for. I especially loved the scene between Hamlet and Ophelia, with Polonius and the King looking on. He seemed genuinely heartbroken as a result of what she was saying. It wasn't him breaking her heart in this scene (as I've seen played out so many times), it was her breaking his. Even his infamous slamming line, "Get thee to a nunnery", wasn't cruel. Somehow, Cumberbatch made it sound like a suggestion rather than a command. He seemed genuinely happy to see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and was understanding upon their admittance to being there at the request of the King. His madness was more innocent. He played with toys, marched with a drum, and rather respectfully requested his part in the play. Cumberbatch managed to turn Hamlet into a sympathetic character, not just in the beginning, but up until the bitter, bloody end.
The colors were obviously and boldly symbolic (Hamlet in black, everyone else in white in the first scene, and inverse in the last). The use of the set was also intricate. The act of leaving the dirt on the floor as the scenes flashed between the outdoors and the innards of the castle was telling. Not only had Hamlet been reduced to the dirt upon his expulsion from the castle, but all others were dirtied as well, even as they attempted to say safe and secluded in their castle. Ophelia as a photographer was a great addition (it reminded me of the frequent use of cameras in the Tennant version), and I think that has a lot to do with the theme of seeing/spying in the play.
Overall, I loved this version of the play. I found myself laughing in several scenes, which I'm sure Shakespeare would have been pleased with (humor was one of his best weapons). I discovered a sympathy for characters that I've never connected with before, namely the Queen and Ophelia (Ophelia has always driven me crazy, but I loved the way she was portrayed here). I almost wish I could change my paper topic to explore a few things that I noticed last night, but it's probably too late. All in all, I was glad that I got to go.

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Mary's Review of a Hamlet Production

Personally, I was not a fan of National Theater Live production of Hamlet.  But then again, I probably shouldn't have sat through a three hour play while recovering from what was probably the flu.

My primary impression was that it was a bit more dark and mellow dramatic than the play was in my head. Hamlet is a dark play, but the additions of music, strange noises, low lighting, and dark painted walls, all made it less real to me.  The darkness continuous throughout the play and offered little contrast to play against.  It was also very elaborate and I'm not sure if this is was done in a good way.  The scenery had odd things placed about, including the random doll house, that had uncertain meaning.  Everything was very decorated, sometimes without clear purpose.  I was reminded of a discussion in class about being wary of effects that are distracting.  I think they definitely succeeded in creating the brooding mood they wanted to create with their mostly dull colors and lighting, even if I didn't really like how it was done or how clearly orchestrated it was.  

Speech-wise, some of their lines and speeches were far to emphasized and didn't flow very naturally or else didn't create enough of a contrast.  How can you feel the emotion of a powerful moment when every line is expressed in passion anyway?  Their movement to these lines too was often unnatural, such as sliding around the floor.  As many have mentioned, I also had difficulty with the lack of historical cohesion in the setting.  I wished that they would pick a single time period rather than jump about.  There is a lot to be said though about the clothe changes that Hamlet goes through.  At a kind of climax of the play, he is wearing an interesting mix with the king coat, soldier pants, and David Bowie shirt.  I actually like this outfit, strangely enough, because it did a good job of portraying his confusion, especially as he played so many different roles in trying to get revenge.  It also seemed to me to portray a little of the excitement that he seems to feel in this part of the play.

On the other hand, the actors did really well (barring Ophelia).   Gertrude and Claudius were great and fairly believable.  Even though I wouldn't have imagined him as Hamlet, Benedict Cumberbatch did an amazing job.  I remembered why he'd been my favorite actor for a long time. Polonious was my favorite.  He was actually funny and lovable.  He spoke his lines in just the right manner, unlike others, and used just the right pauses to make them hilarious.  I was sad when he died. It was nice to see a live production so that I could get a sense of how things might have happened since Shakespeare gives us very little detail of time and setting.  I would recommend that people do watch performances of his plays.

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Kate's Hamlet Analysis

Last night, I, along with pretty much every other person in attendance, was memorized by the National Theatre Live adaptation of Hamlet. I think what made this performance interesting, and at least to me, a stand out performance was the unique use of costuming and music throughout the performance.

What intrigued me the most out of the performance was Cumberbatch's David Bowie shirt. I am not even kidding a little bit. I love David Bowie and that was incredible. I feel like Hamlet and I would be buds just because of that shirt. Forget everything else. That shirt was great. But, in all seriousness, I loved the costuming in the play. It had such an interesting impact on each character. Many characters seem to be stuck in different times, and I think each of the times reflected the character's personality. Like, with the Bowie shirt and Hamlet, it showed that he was acting, you know, a little bit crazy. (Think Bowie in Labyrinth) I think one could argue that this made it more confusing, but I actually saw the different modernization interesting in that they reflected each character.

The music was also what drew me in. "Nature Boy" playing at the beginning was incredible. It gave us the first glimpse into the modernization of this rendition, and it also set the tone for the all around awesomeness that would occur. Then, throughout the play, whenever a scene was changed, they always used the fast forward motion of the actors, along with exciting music, to move onto the next scene. I LOVED that there was not a curtain. I feel like it made everything flow together, and the actors were so great at moving quickly between scenes that it did not feel annoying or rushed.

Other thoughts:

-My only complaint is Ophelia bugged me, like she REALLY bugged me. I'm not sure why. She kind of looked like Zooey Deschanel, and maybe that had something to do with it? But, I thought her madness was interesting. I just didn't LOVE her. But, that's okay.

-"To be or Not to Be" scene. Earlier that day, we had focused on the different renditions of this. So, while I was watching the play this stood out. I think that the almost, sadness that accompanies it was beautiful. He just seemed so torn and lost, and it was incredible acting.

10/10 would view again.

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To Be or Not to Be for All the World's a Stage: Gaylie's Hamlet Performance Analysis

If all the world's a stage then at times it is a stage full of rotary, mundane action. It lacks coordination of theme music and costume. If the world is a stage, then it is made up of restrained thought and expression, and wants a proper intermission in which the exhausted players are allowed a brief reprieve.

In contrast, the Encore broadcast of Hamlet was riveting. The general opinion hold true, so much life and color and dimension is lost when a play is read silently. The characters, stage and plot are two dimensional, trapped in a prison of black and white printed uniformly on bound sheets, encased between two solid coverings.

To see a play is to see the humanity of it. This humanity is the gift of those who choose to breathe life into it, and with it comes pieces of their personality and unique experiences. Glimpses of these pieces were offered throughout the play: dressing Hamlet as a toy soldier when he was mad, using Nat King Coles "Nature Boy" as the music for the introduction, giving Ophelia a camera to emphasize her brief role and the importance of her memory, and many more. The idea of abandoning the use of curtains in favor of a single stage set up emphasized the unity of the events and the sad lack thereof in the actions of the royal family and staff.

To be or not to be may very well seem the question, but the answer may very well be that tis noblest in the mind to suffer temporarily through a sea of troubles.  And through striving, struggling and passionate effort inspire one's fellow soldiers thus rearming them in preparation for the next wave of the onslaught.

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