Sean Holmes directs this unconventional production of Hamlet at the intimate Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.
For those who’ve never experienced a show at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, it’s something we’d recommend trying at least once – a small space nestled inside Shakespeare’s Globe on the Southbank, it’s a beautiful theatre with a gorgeous ceiling, and is entirely candle-lit. While some other lighting is utilised over the course of the evening, much of this production unfolds by candlelight and it’s just absolutely stunning to watch – the atmosphere inside the building is quite unlike anything we’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.
While the setting may be traditional, this staging of Hamlet is anything but. It stars the excellent George Fouracres in the lead role – a rebellious indie boy, he mopes menacingly around the stage, quoting The Smiths. There’s a surprising amount of humour in his performance – he’s quite playful with the audience, eliciting responses and engaging in a pantomime-like back-and-forth. There’s an underlying threat, however – we see his behaviour become more erratic, and his mental decline as scenes progress is mimicked in a castle that becomes more dilapidated and covered in graffiti.
This is a play full of enjoyably unexpected moments. When the players arrive, it all gets a bit meta, as they start performing the iconic balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. The infamous grave digger scene is wonderfully subversive – composer Ed Gaughan, who we see over the course of the evening adding guitar to various scenes, completely breaks the fourth wall, telling a story to the audience and going on an extended tangent about quiz show The Chase, before leading a singalong of Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler. Skulls and bones are used to add a rather macabre percussion section.
We enjoyed this Hamlet. Yes, it weighs in at a hefty three hours, but that’s pretty standard for this particular play – and there are two intervals, so it’s broken into three very manageable chunks. George Fouracres is electrifying as our protagonist and is ably supported by the rest of the cast, while the addition of live music and unconventional staging certainly keep things interesting. At times it feels dangerously close to venturing into parody territory, but on the whole this bold and unique interpretation is a success.
GAY TIMES gives Hamlet – 4/5
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