Winner of the Kenneth Branagh New Drama Writing Award, Waiting for Hamlet is a play set in purgatory. King Hamlet and his fool Yorick find themselves ghoulish spectators waiting for a cause.
King Hamlet has arrived freshly murdered by his brother whilst Yorick has occupied the place for over twenty years, keeping watch. Having failed to open the door to both heaven and hell King Hamlet is insistent on going back to the other side, only Yorick isn’t so sure.
Both Tim Marriott (King Hamlet) and Nicholas Collett (Yorick) give fantastic performances.
Marriott’s King Hamlet is ludicrous and self-centered, likening himself to Christ whilst Collett portrays a wise fool. Throughout the course of the play, you soon wonder whether the jester’s hat is sitting on the wrong head.
Both Tim Marriott (King Hamlet) and Nicholas Collett (Yorick) give fantastic performances.
The duo are immediately in character upon arrival, providing the perfect match to one another, verbally sparring. Quite like how you might imagine limbo, the stage is bare and sparse with just a small amount of boxes the characters sometimes sit on, exasperated with the other.
With well over 4,000 lines and around 30,000 words, Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play. However, with a running time of only 50 minutes, this arguable prequel covers a lot of ground.
David Visick’s script is undoubtedly the star of the show – within such a short space of time the duo’s after-life commentary spans and loops around topics such as politics, religion, nature and hierarchy, sometimes stepping into the realm of poetry. However, it is important to note that a good script can only truly shine with an equal performance. Marriott and Collett rise to the challenge with ease.
David Visick’s script is undoubtedly the star of the show.
It made me smile to think that King Hamlet’s famous speech from beyond the grave actually came from his ex-jester’s mind.
This understated play is a love letter to the bard, a masterclass in how to bring a new dimension into a well-known tale and ultimately, a demonstration of how to find the comedy in one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies.
-Elise Gallagher
The Summer Shakespeare Festival runs at GOAT Mcr (Great Open Air Theatre, Manchester) situated in the amphitheatre at the Great Northern Warehouse, 235 Deansgate until 15 August 2021.
Following on from a critically successful production of Hamlet in 2016,the Royal Shakespeare Company opens their 2018 tour of the play at The Lowry, bringing forth the return of Paapa Essiedu as the eponymous character anda vibrant reinterpretation of one of the Bard’s most renowned tragedies.
The five-act play – following Hamlet’s efforts to avenge the late King of Denmark (portrayed by Ewart James Walters) by murdering his usurping uncle Claudius (Clarence Smith) – finds itself in a contemporary setting through Simon Goodwin’s thoughtful direction. Despite the prevalence of modern clothing and objects, the play retains its originality by conforming to the prosody of Shakespeare’s text – enabling Goodwin to punctuate the plight inherent in Ophelia’s (Mimi Ndiweni) verse and the comic moments of the Gravedigger’s (also played by Walters) prose.
Though the mournful dénouement stands out in the performance, the juxtaposition elicited through the liveliness of the percussive and woodwind instruments (directed by Phil James) that recurs throughout the scenes, guarantees the construction of a rounded theatrical experience for the audience. The director ensures that the expanse of the stage is effectively utilised, with the growing emotional distance present between Hamlet and the other characters, often being symbolised through their physical distance on stage.
The protagonist’s soliloquies are executed with significant flair throughout. The hesitation of Hamlet’s question ‘to be, or not to be’ is casually expressed in a vein counter to the often melodramatic approach taken by other actors – epitomising Essiedu’s unique take on the role. An emphasis is subsequently placed upon this hesitation, with the climax depicting Hamlet holding a gun to his uncle’s head, serving as a powerful cliff-hanger that precedes the interval of the play.
The visual aesthetic of the production is never compromised: elaborate set designs ranging from the King’s materialistic court to the minimalistic graveyard are skillfully crafted by Paul Wills, thereby illustrating a world both mesmerising and frightening. Kev McCurdy’s work as Fight Director deserves equal praise, with the fight between Hamlet and Laertes (Buom Tihngang) instigating the suspense that lasts until the curtain fall.
For any production of Shakespeare’s plays, performance is key. This production, however, not only boasts engaging performances but situates them in a dynamic theatrical setting –enabling the entire cast and crew to assert this show as a compelling production that reflects the virtues of the theatre.
Our pick of the best Manchester Theatre this month
Rather like the Mancunian weather at the moment – we’ve got an eclectic month of theatre planned for March. It’s a lucky dip of cultural goodness – so feast your eyes on our top picks for this month.
Blood Brothers (Palace Theatre)
Written by Willy Russell, Blood Brothers tells the moving story of twins who were separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences.
This smash hit musical sees multi-platinum selling artist and my favourite crooner, Marti Pellow take the role of narrator and the critically acclaimed Maureen Nolan play Mrs Johnstone.
Featuring a superb musical score, which includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged Tell Me It’s Not True, the show has been affectionately named the Standing Ovation Musical.
Blood Brothers runs at the Palace Theatre, Manchester from 2nd March 2015 until 14th March 2015.
Sham Bodie (Kraak, Northern Quarter) – 5th March
Sham Bodie is a monthly night held at Kraak in the NQ. Essentially, it’s like lots of the best nights out rolled into one package. There is stand-up and live comedy sketches, from new and established acts, as well as live music from some really good bands. This month features BBC New Comedy Award finalist Tom Little, Fab Radio’s Nina Gilligan and Michael J Dolan. There is also music from garage blues two-piece, Dirty Heels. Sham Bodie only costs a fiver! And this month, in honour of St Patrick’s Day on the 17th, they have teamed up with their pals at Jameson to bring you free whisky. Yes, I said FREE WHISKY…go on, go on, go on….
SICK! Festival
Launched in 2013, SICK! Festival is the first of its kind in the UK, dedicated to revealing, debating and exploring the physical, mental and social challenges of life and death.
SICK! isn’t for the faint hearted or those who fancy a bit of frivolous escapism- the festival explores a variety of issues such as rape and mental health, amongst others, through a variety of different mediums – art installations, film and performance. The festival runs through most of March and events are taking place all over Manchester and Salford. Please take a look at the program of events.
Anna Karenina (The Royal Exchange)
Ony Uhiara, takes the title role of Anna, a dutiful wife and a loving mother. When she meets Count Vronsky it turns her world on its head, putting everything that she has ever known at risk. In a parallel story, Levin is trying to live justly in a social system built on injustice. Spurned on by the woman he loves, he turns his back on wealthy society and heads for his country estate, determined to refashion it into a vision of a fairer world. Tolstoy’s epic masterpiece, set against the backdrop of imperial Russia, explores what happens when two very different couples grapple with the strongest emotion we humans are capable of feeling – love.
Olivier-nominated director Ellen McDougall makes her Royal Exchange debut in this contemporary version of the Leo Tolstoy classic.
Anna Karenina runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre from 19th March 2015 until 2nd May 2015.
BRINK (The Studio, The Royal Exchange)
This promises to be an interesting world premiere by The Royal Exchange Theatre Young Company and written by Jackie Kay (one of my favourite writers – love Red Dust Road).
The production explores the idea of being on the ‘brink’ – what brings you to the brink? When you are close to the edge – do you push forward or do you step back? Everything is possible when you are so close to the brink.
BRINK is running in The Studio at the Royal Exchange from 26th March 2015 until 29th March 2015.
Maxine Peake as Hamlet (The Cornerhouse)
For those of you, like myself, who didn’t manage to catch Maxine Peake as Hamlet the first time round at The Royal Exchange – this film screening of Hamlet at Manchester’s Cornerhouse may be for you.
Hamlet is possibly Shakespeare’s most iconic work, exploring ideas of love and betrayal and themes of murder and madness.
This groundbreaking version of Hamlet, directed by Sarah Frankcom, was the Royal Exchange’s fastest selling show of the last decade. It had a complete sell out run in the theatre and Maxine Peake’s Hamlet was described as “delicately ferocious” by The Guardian and “a milestone Hamlet” by the Manchester Evening News.
I’m definitely going to catch it this time round.
Cornerhouse have 3 showings of this unmissable performance.
Mon 23 March: Doors 19:15, Starts at 19:30 Sun 29 March: Doors 14:45, Starts at 15:00 Thu 2 April: Doors 19:15, Starts at 19:30
Birmingham Royal Ballet – Coppélia (The Lowry)
And finally, something for the little ones – Birmingham Royal Ballet are visiting The Lowry with Coppélia, it runs from March 4th until March 7th.
But more importantly, the Birmingham Royal Ballet are also presenting First Steps – A Child’s Coppélia on Friday 6th March at 1pm.
In this hour long version, the delightful story has been specially adapted to suit children aged from 3-7.
The Lowry are also holding a Family Fun Day on Saturday 7th March from 12-1:30pm, which is free to all matinee ticket holders.
