After The Applause

A slick, stylish and darkly humorous production led by the charming Hiran Abeysekara as the rebellious prince

Shakespeare is always a treat to watch at the National Theatre, they offer us something different and unique every time. Previously it was Lyndsey Turner’s dark take on Coriolanus and now Robert Hastie’s vision of Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy Hamlet in the wonderful Lyttelton Theatre!

But was this version to be or not to be that is the question….

I was really impressed by this portrayal of Hamlet, it felt very slick in the way it was directed by Hastie. Whilst being such a dark play he seemingly implored his actors to find the comedy even in the most emotionally turbulent moments of the play, for example Ophelia’s madness and breakdown still made slightly comical or even Hamlet’s murder of Polonius. They managed to perfectly balance comedy and tragedy and this was something that was a continuous feeling throughout.

I enjoyed the large palace being the main premise of the set, with famous battles painted on the walls. It paired well with Ben Stones’ modern costume design, seeing Hamlet taken out of traditional wear and placed in a blockbuster sweatshirt or a white beanie! I felt immersed in the world Hastie had set out to create for his version of Hamlet, however, none of this would have been done without a brilliant cast of hard-working actors.

Firstly to my honourable mentions, Tessa Wong is a wise and caring Horatio and I even felt a bit emotional during her heartbroken monologue in the final scene. Joe Bolland and Hari Mackinson are brilliant as Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. They have so much chemistry and are very comical in their light-hearted interactions with Hamlet but also convey their concern just as well.

I noticed Ryan Ellsworth as the ghost of the king, wearing his medals and a Danish army uniform as he marches on stage to talk to his son. I also like his portrayal of the Gravedigger, offering a light yet still poignant moment amongst the sad death of Ophelia. This is similar with Geoffrey Streatfield as Polonious, with a rather odd potrayal showing him as awkward and clumsy in his interactions with Hamlet and not as strong as I perceive him being but it works because that is the way Hastie has directed!

I am a massive fan of Alistair Petrie from watching him in the Netflix hit Sex Education, and I thought he was immense as Claudius. He commanded the stage, showing his charming nature yet evil turn as he attempts to quell the outspoken Prince Hamlet. He also acted well alongside Ayesha Dharker who plays the regretful Queen Gertrude, distraught as she watches her sons descent into madness.

The two stars of the show are in my opinion Hiran Abeysekera as Hamlet and Francesca Mills as Ophelia.

Mills absolutely smashes her role, playing it with attitude and emotion throughout, yet also giving Ophelia a fun and humorous nature which is something I haven’t seen done before. She conveys the emotion of Hamlet’s madness upon Ophelia’s psyche with such raw passion that it even made me feel emotional, and in the scene with Laertes it was just heartbreaking to watch. Yet amongst the madness Mills still allows the audience to identify that Ophelia is still there, just severely damaged which I think is insanely difficult to do as an actor. She is a brilliant actress who I can’t wait to see on stage or screen again!

Now onto Mr Abeysekera…

I knew he would smash it! The Olivier award winning actor (for his performance in Life of Pi) wants to win another one I can see! He is standout from the moment he walks on stage, from his fourth wall breaks to his surges of anger everything is fuelled with motivation. He is silly and unserious at times but it just paints a clearer picture of who Abeysekera wants his Hamlet to be like. He is also effortlessly cool and recites Shakespeare’s beautiful words with such swagger. A young and childish Hamlet still bridling with fury and revenge.

MY VERDICT:

Oh it is just great to see Shakespeare back at the National and it comes back with a bang! I found this production more polished than Hamlet’s shiny black shoes and as bright and humorous as his red socks, fabulously directed, well designed and brought together by a cast of excellent principal actors and ensemble actors as well. The one note I would have had is that it could have been shaved down a bit, the runtime was 2 hours 50 minutes and I felt some scenes could have definitely been cut out to make it snappier and more exciting as I felt this would have suited Hastie’s tone a little bit more.

However, that is a minor note as all the scenes were superbly executed and it was a joy to watch.

I would recommend this version of Hamlet as it is portrayed as you’ve never seen it before, and with Mills and Abeysekera’s star performances you will 100% enjoy it. It is another example of directors striving to make Shakespeare more accessible, I feel the modern dress and tone makes Hamlet more understandable to a wider range of audience.

Hamlet is running at the Lyttelton Theatre until the 22nd November. Remember if you are aged 16-25 you have access to £5 and £10 tickets on the National Theatre website and the view is always very good!