An adaptation of Hamlet focussed around a Black American family. An adaptation which doesn’t give the tragic ending we all expect. There is much to like about the premise of this production — and oodles about the script itself, which was layered beautifully with references and text from Shakespeare while also creating modern poetry reframing the same topics in today’s parlance.
The performances in this production - the UK Premiere — are largely exceptional, and the directorial choices overall strong. There were, however, some moments lacking clarity; for example when we as the audience were (or were not) complicit and the fourth wall broken was muddy. The change happened so frequently and almost irrationally that it was difficult to say it was intentional, although I hope it was….I perhaps just didn’t see it.
It was really, really good on the whole. There were some character choices that felt too surface relative to those which were really well grounded; in particular Ophelia and Hamlet, and switching Polonius to the intense mother figure. The design, the playfulness of the script, and the characters who largely went deeper than caricature were all exceptional. Yet something niggles, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. I almost need to see it again (or read it?) to identify what felt off.
Nonetheless, a smart and funny adaptation that subverted expectations and avoided tragedy-porn at every turn, well worth seeing.