| "a
first-rate production of working professionals who demonstrate
their talents under the informed, high-spirited direction
of Josh Costello... Mark Joseph [as Hamlet] is simply sensational...
the audience is completely captivated... don't miss Hamlet!" |
|
Hamlet
played in July and August 2006 at Shakespeare-by-the-Sea;
performances were in parks all over Los Angeles and Orange County
for audiences in the hundreds -- over 700 people attended the
closing night performance.
I
blogged the process of directing this production over at Blogging
the Dane. All my analysis and thoughts about the play are there.
Scroll down for the latest posts.
Reviews
and newspaper articles are below.
The
links on the left have many additional photos, plus a video montage
and clips.
|
the
King |
Marcellus
and Horatio |
the
Ghost |
Rosencrantz
& Guildenstern |
Ophelia |
Osric
and Polonius |
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|
Player's
Speech |
Mousetrap |
Hamlet
and Gertrude |
Laertes
and Ophelia |
funeral |
the
duel |
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Long
Beach Press-Telegram review of Hamlet
July 7th, 2006
Link
Timeless tragedy in a beautiful setting
By Shirle Gottlieb, Correspondent
THOUGH IT’S certainly open to debate, “Hamlet”
is probably the most beloved of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes.
Since 1602 when it was written, “Tragedy of Hamlet”
has been translated, updated, adapted and performed all over
the world. In addition, the demanding part of the Prince of
Denmark has become a challenge for actors everywhere to test
their dramatic skills.
Though I’ve seen myriad interpretations of “Hamlet”
over the years, I was anxious to see how Shakespeare by the
Sea handled this immortal drama - which is playing in repertory
with “The Comedy of Errors” through Aug. 12.
I wasn’t alone. Hundreds of people flocked to beautiful
Point Fermin to bask in Shakespeare’s words, the park’s
natural surroundings and the sunset over the ocean. And it’s
free, courtesy of Shakespeare by the Sea, a company whose mission
is to make The Bard come alive for young and old in the South
Bay area.
Just because it’s free doesn’t mean it’s amateurish.
Quite the contrary. This is a first-rate production of working
professionals who demonstrate their talents under the informed,
high-spirited direction of Josh Costello.
The success or failure of this classic tale of murder, mayhem,
madness and incest rests on the shoulders of the actor portraying
Hamlet, and Mark Joseph is simply sensational. A member of California
Repertory Company in Long Beach, Joseph commands the stage from
his opening scene on the ramparts (the one with the ghost of
his father) through his dying words at the end of the play.
Almost everyone reading this review knows the story: Something
is definitely rotten in the state of Denmark! Out of blind ambition
and lust, Uncle Claudius (Don Formaneck) kills his brother,
theking, Hamlet’s father. Then in less than two months,
he connivingly seizes his brother’s throne and marries
Hamlet’s mother Gertrude (Jill Cary Martin), the king’s
widow.
When the ghost of Hamlet’s father demands revenge, Hamlet
- feeling completely helpless - delivers his world famous monologue
(”To be or not to be”) and feigns madness. From
this point on, tragedy is heaped upon tragedy until the bloody,
awful end.
In spite of its dark, inevitable plot, there’s a lot of
humor in “Hamlet,” as there is in all of Shakespeare’s
writing. In this case, Chris Roberts is terrific in his portrayal
of the dithering old Polonius. Also enjoyable is the good-natured
give-and-take banter between Laertes (Aaron Sherry) and Hamlet
before their relationship gets thwarted and the three parts
played by John E. Farrell (the Ghost, Player King and wise old
gravedigger).
As for Ophelia, Rebecca Lincoln is a vision of virginal beauty
as the tragic love of Hamlet’s life. Barbara Suiter and
Jim Van Over play off of each other well as manipulated students
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. And Crystal Sershen portrays Horatio,
Hamlet’s loyal steadfast friend.
Although Valerie Wright’s lovely costumes suggest that
this version of “Hamlet” is set in the 19th century,
Aaron Jackson’s functional set is completely timeless.
Kudos to Martin Noyes for his bang-up job as fight director.
Everyone knows the deadly outcome of the duel between Hamlet
and Horatio, but the gripping scene is so realistic, the audience
is completely captivated.
Take my advice and don’t miss “Hamlet.” Grab
a warm sweatshirt and blanket, pack a picnic and head for San
Pedro.
Shirle Gottlieb is a Long Beach freelance writer
From
the Long
Beach Press-Telegram:
Symbolism of another sort is on tap for "Hamlet."
Directed by Josh Costello, this is possibly Shakespeare's
most famous play. Set in Denmark, it is the story of Prince
Hamlet, who is in mourning for his father the king, who
died suddenly. Hamlet is already upset that his uncle Claudius
quickly took over the kingship and married the widowed queen.
When he finds out his uncle was his father's murderer, he
decides to take revenge. But getting that revenge is harder
than it seems.
Costello is setting the show in the 1890s, or at the end
of the industrial revolution.
"It really gets at the idea of change," he said,
adding that Hamlet is put in a situation where he faces
a lot of unwelcome change. "Claudius is changing everything."
Other than changing the time of the piece, Costello otherwise
leaves it fairly traditional.
"I'm a big believer in Shakespeare, in that he knew
what he was doing," Costello said.
From
the Daily
Breeze:
| 
The
festival is also mounting "Hamlet" in a version
that will run in less than two hours. When the full
text of the play is performed, it lasts more than four
hours.
Director Josh Costello said the version that will be
performed will retain the play's memorable soliloquies
and streamline Danish politics.
"All the big important lines are in there,"
Costello said. "And it focuses it more on the family
story lines."
Costello said he's setting the play in the 1890s and
using Art Nouveau as his inspiration for the staging.
Costello has been researching the advertising posters
and paintings of Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, who is
perhaps best known for his theater poster advertising
Sarah Bernhardt's "Gismonda."
Of the various themes in the play, Costello said he
picked change as the central angle of the production.
Costello said Hamlet's crisis stems from hanging onto
the past.
"Hamlet's
all in black," Costello said. "He's in mourning;
but the world he's in is very elegant." |
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HAMLET
Mark Joseph
GERTRUDE
Jill Carey Martin
CLAUDIUS
Don Formaneck
GHOST
PLAYER KING
GRAVEDIGGER
John E. Farrell
OPHELIA
Rebecca Lincoln
LAERTES
THIRD PLAYER
Aaron Sherry
POLONIUS
Chris Roberts
HORATIO
Crystal Sershen
GUILDENSTERN
FORTINBRAS
PRIEST
Jim Van Over
ROSENCRANTZ
Barbara
Suiter
PLAYER QUEEN
Corina Bowler
OSRIC
Michael Irish
MARCELLUS
Andy Kallok
COSTUMES
Valerie Wright
SET
Aaron Jackson
FIGHTS
Martin Noyes
STAGE MANAGER
Jasmine Johnson
|
