“Relevance” is a word too often used in theatre today, especially down the shopping aisle entitled “revivals”. While theatre should speak to a moment, it should not need to tell us so explicitly. It can be subtle, yet incredibly impactful. We are all too familiar with the world around us and don’t constantly require emotional cues to remind us where we are. This matter is delicately approached with craft and skill by Yael Farber in her production of Hamlet, which opened last night at the Gate Theatre. Evoking a cold, unfriendly world through simple gestures found in sound, light, set and direction, Farber has created a Hamlet recognisable to us all.
The titular role is played by Ruth Negga, in possibly the performance of her career. She commands the stage, strutting with the prowess of a young, torn aristocrat. Negga reaches the full extent of her velocity as Hamlet begins to descend into decay, bringing a flamboyance to the character’s folly. Negga’s interpretation is instantly recognisable, yet original. She brings a contemporary arrogance to the prince that is strikingly familiar in the age of reckless young idols, those at once lauded and vulnerable. Her performance should also dispel any unflattering murmurs of gender-blind casting, proving that while she plays the prince as he was written, the emotions and turmoils he goes through are universal.
The production is masterfully directed by Farber, who sets a clear course and never second-guesses her intentions. Farber adapted Shakespeare’s play herself, a daunting undertaking for anyone. But in Farber’s case it pays off, producing a concise package that never sacrifices momentum. There’s a juxtaposed grandeur and simplicity to Farber’s direction. Simple staging techniques strike visceral terror throughout the audience, as no theme looms too large. On many occasions, the audience is found to be in the centre of the action creating an inescapably tense atmosphere.
Negga is supported by a terrific ensemble of actors, with Owen Roe delivering a chilling portrayal of Claudius, leaving the audience simultaneously awestruck and frightened. Mark Huberman and Gavin Drea never lowered the stakes for an moment. Fiona Bell provides an engrossing performance as Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. When confronted by Hamlet in the second act, gender dynamics come into plain sight as the intensity of the scene is raised to extremes. Having Hamlet played by a woman forces an inspection of Hamlet’s disgust at his mother’s sexuality, and from quite a radical angle.
Designed by Tony-award winning costume designer Susan Hilferty, Hamlet takes place amidst the corridors of power. With the players inhabiting what appears to be the centre of a maze, doors conceal every conceivable entrance to the stage. As the haze begins to clear for Hamlet, doors begin to open, until each door is wide open by the final scene. This plays intricately into one of the drama’s major themes: power (in particular, the power of knowledge). Hilferty’s set is very malleable. Heavy doors swing open and shut tight, mirroring the opposing intensity and debility of the characters. A sense of mysticism is leaned on, as Hilferty cleverly employs both synthetic and organic materials, between the realms of life and death.
Hamlet plays the Gate Theatre until October 27th.
