Hamlet opened at the American Theater of Actors on 54th Street, New York on June 21st and will be running until July 8th, 2012.
A mixed cast, Hamlet, which happens to be one of my favorites of Shakespeare was actually very good. It was two and a half hours long (not counting intermission). And it was the most entertaining two and a half hours I ever enjoyed-concerning works of Shakespeare.
Don't get me wrong now, Shakespeare is excellent, exciting read!!! I love reading his plays-every last one of his works. HOWEVER, that being said, it is not easy to produce Shakespeare! I mean, let's be HONEST HERE!
I attended a production of KING LEAR at The National Black Theater a few years ago-and it was absolutely HORRIBLE! Not to mention a very expensive production-with pomp and the whole nine yards (for those of you who are familiar; the production bears a huge cast with expensive costumes and regalia)
And of course, it doesn't matter whether it is a White Production or a Black Production, off Broadway or a First Class Production (BROADWAY). It is just not happening!
But this production is different. I sat until six o'clock in the morning, having seen it the night before, trying to figure out what made this production WORK!
AHA! The cast did an EXCELLENT job in making their characters IDENTIFIABLE TO US!!!
This was not a SHOWCASE of beautiful people, plastic people, model types or even classical types. These characters were not elitists nor full of pomposity (as Shakespearean plays seemed to be portrayed in school or academic settings). They seemed real, human, and ordinary. Seeing ghosts or ethereal figures may have been mysterious and even romantic then, but it didn't abate the terror, and fear-or PRIMAL EMOTIONS which all of us can IDENTIFY WITH. Today, we call such conditions, MENTAL ILLNESS, and with all the stigma, shame, and eventual tragedy, are no different than what any family today has to deal with-concerning mental illness. The same progression of the illness which struck HAMLET, is the same progression which can happen to ANYONE OF US (God forbid!)
This production explored those angles. I don't think that's ever been done before. It appeals to young audiences as well. This is a significant find! It keeps Shakespeare ALIVE for the next generation to ABSORB and LEARN from.
I like the characters in this play. King Lear? I could not wait until they killed his ass (so I can leave!)
Actor Jarde Jacobs plays Hamlet (he was a soap actor in the daytime series GUIDING LIGHT). And the seductive suggestibility of his body language on stage proves that he can multi act on several "planes" simultaneously. It made him charming, likeable and vulnerable (the ingredients in making a male actor into an audience "heart throb"). There was also tremendous humor which made Hamlet for me, three dimensional. Again, it could be anyone of us!
But what did it for me was actor Jara Jones who played Claudius and the Ghost. WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!! So dramatic, so "juicy" and compelling, provocatively clever and just plain good acting!
If anyone was 'dozing off' in that audience (not because the performance was slow, but because it was HOT with no AC), when he came out-YOU WOKE! (sorry for the ghetto language. I know I'm breaking rules here)
But I feel this production breaks the rules, too. There were no period clothing or costumes to distract you from the storyline. The actors were made bare to us, almost transparent.
Fred Dennehy who plays Polonius, no doubt, a 'seasoned' Shakespearean actor, was as always, eloquent, crisp in his language and style, and POTENT. This actor knows what an audience wants.
I really did try to find something bad about this production, but I couldn't! I guess you really have to like Shakespearean plays in order to appreciate one.
Honorable mentions should go to actress Aryanna Celenda, who played Ophelia for her excelling timing, staging, and acting. There was lots of subtext to her character, and whether she meant to make this choice or not-it ADDED to the mystery and atmosphere of the play.
Mr. White should be most proud of his cast and crew for pulling off this excellent production. HAMLET RECEIVES FIVE STARS!!!
A mixed cast, Hamlet, which happens to be one of my favorites of Shakespeare was actually very good. It was two and a half hours long (not counting intermission). And it was the most entertaining two and a half hours I ever enjoyed-concerning works of Shakespeare.
Don't get me wrong now, Shakespeare is excellent, exciting read!!! I love reading his plays-every last one of his works. HOWEVER, that being said, it is not easy to produce Shakespeare! I mean, let's be HONEST HERE!
I attended a production of KING LEAR at The National Black Theater a few years ago-and it was absolutely HORRIBLE! Not to mention a very expensive production-with pomp and the whole nine yards (for those of you who are familiar; the production bears a huge cast with expensive costumes and regalia)
And of course, it doesn't matter whether it is a White Production or a Black Production, off Broadway or a First Class Production (BROADWAY). It is just not happening!
But this production is different. I sat until six o'clock in the morning, having seen it the night before, trying to figure out what made this production WORK!
AHA! The cast did an EXCELLENT job in making their characters IDENTIFIABLE TO US!!!
This was not a SHOWCASE of beautiful people, plastic people, model types or even classical types. These characters were not elitists nor full of pomposity (as Shakespearean plays seemed to be portrayed in school or academic settings). They seemed real, human, and ordinary. Seeing ghosts or ethereal figures may have been mysterious and even romantic then, but it didn't abate the terror, and fear-or PRIMAL EMOTIONS which all of us can IDENTIFY WITH. Today, we call such conditions, MENTAL ILLNESS, and with all the stigma, shame, and eventual tragedy, are no different than what any family today has to deal with-concerning mental illness. The same progression of the illness which struck HAMLET, is the same progression which can happen to ANYONE OF US (God forbid!)
This production explored those angles. I don't think that's ever been done before. It appeals to young audiences as well. This is a significant find! It keeps Shakespeare ALIVE for the next generation to ABSORB and LEARN from.
I like the characters in this play. King Lear? I could not wait until they killed his ass (so I can leave!)
Actor Jarde Jacobs plays Hamlet (he was a soap actor in the daytime series GUIDING LIGHT). And the seductive suggestibility of his body language on stage proves that he can multi act on several "planes" simultaneously. It made him charming, likeable and vulnerable (the ingredients in making a male actor into an audience "heart throb"). There was also tremendous humor which made Hamlet for me, three dimensional. Again, it could be anyone of us!
But what did it for me was actor Jara Jones who played Claudius and the Ghost. WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!! So dramatic, so "juicy" and compelling, provocatively clever and just plain good acting!
If anyone was 'dozing off' in that audience (not because the performance was slow, but because it was HOT with no AC), when he came out-YOU WOKE! (sorry for the ghetto language. I know I'm breaking rules here)
But I feel this production breaks the rules, too. There were no period clothing or costumes to distract you from the storyline. The actors were made bare to us, almost transparent.
Fred Dennehy who plays Polonius, no doubt, a 'seasoned' Shakespearean actor, was as always, eloquent, crisp in his language and style, and POTENT. This actor knows what an audience wants.
I really did try to find something bad about this production, but I couldn't! I guess you really have to like Shakespearean plays in order to appreciate one.
Honorable mentions should go to actress Aryanna Celenda, who played Ophelia for her excelling timing, staging, and acting. There was lots of subtext to her character, and whether she meant to make this choice or not-it ADDED to the mystery and atmosphere of the play.
Mr. White should be most proud of his cast and crew for pulling off this excellent production. HAMLET RECEIVES FIVE STARS!!!
I agree. I loved this play but wasn't sure what exactly made it so awesome but I think you hit the nail on the head!
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