To see the upcoming schedules, click HERE
FOR THE ENCORE TRAILER, CLICK HERE. Scroll down little for the trailer.
Hamlet might be the most well-known of Shakespeare’s tragedies and only second among the his total output to Romeo and Juliet. The role is one of those markers of an actor’s prominence — and it might even be the pinnacle of most careers.
In the conversation preceding the play from the NT, Cumberbatch is asked how he feels about reciting those most familiar lines “To be or not to be? That is the question.” You will enjoy his answer!
Among the outstanding performances, actually the best of all, in my view, was Ciarán Hinds as Claudius, the Uncle/Stepfather of Hamlet.
Here is a comment on the Cumberbatch version, directed by Lyndsey Turner, from a review in the New York Times by Ben Brantley on August 25, 2015: “Full of scenic spectacle and conceptual tweaks and quirks, this “Hamlet” is never boring. It is also never emotionally moving — except on those occasions when Mr. Cumberbatch’s Hamlet is alone with his thoughts, trying to make sense of a loud, importunate world that demands so much of him.”
Sometimes the “conceptual tweaks” got in the way of the play, in my opinion, as when the characters in the darkened background moved as in slow motion, which drew my attention — but perhaps would have been unnoticed within the theatre.
For obviously, watching the play from the stage is a very different experiences from sitting there live, but I’ll take it when it gives me the opportunity to attend “live” theatre in London from my local movie seat, armed with popcorn and a fizzy drink.
The Telegraph reviewed the show and added a list of ten great recent Hamlets. To see their ratings, click here.
I remember well being enchanted with the film of 1996, made by Kenneth Branagh and featuring Blenheim Palace as part of the set. Other actors in that excel
lent film were Kate Winslet, Derek Jacobi (who had performed the title role in years past), Julie Christie , and many other famous names making cameo performances. For the Branagh Hamlet trailer, click here.
Although his portrayal is definitely in an earlier tradition of the stage, it is also interesting to see Hamlet portrayed by Laurence Olivier, a true film classic from 1948. Click here for Olivier with Hamlet’s famous soliloquy.
