The best actors in the world, either fortragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical,
historical-pastoral, tragical-historical,
tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or
poem unlimited. Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor
Plautus too light. For the law of writ and the liberty,
these are the only men. [HAMLET 2.2.420-426]
My Spring of Shakespeare has sloped into my Summer of Shakespeare. I was lucky enough to see the Public Theater’s JULIUS CAESAR in Central Park–the day after two of its main sponsors pulled out in protest over the production’s references to today’s political climate (how very unShakspearean of them!)–and not only loved the show, but was so invigorated to be in the middle of a cultural arts-and-politics-public life moment. Is it terribly tacky to say I saw Stephen Colbert in the audience that night? Truly a thrill and an “only in New York” moment.
Last week I was beyond geeked out to attend the third preview performance of the Sam Gold and Oscar Isaacs HAMLET at the Public’s Anspacher Theater, https://www.publictheater.org/Public-Theater-Season/Hamlet/
preceded by an edifying talk from the director, set designer and sound designer. Without giving much away, they did a wonderful job laying the ground work for many of the choices they made for this production, and the twelve years of thought that went into those choices.
While I have never (yet!) been involved in the production of a Shakespeare play, I’ve made a fairly comprehensive study of different film and stage versions of HAMLET, and the more time I spend with the play, the more intrigued I am to see how the next production is going to do it.
I talk to my students quite a bit about how Shakespeare’s plays offer a plethora of opportunities for directorial freedom and interpretation, due in large part to the minimal stage direction Shakespeare provides, and the lack of backstory and unanswered questions. As part of our study of the play we look at multiple versions of the Fishmonger/Words, words, words scene, the Killing of Polonius scene, the Gravedigger scene, and the ending. The students weigh in on what they prefer in each production, and by the end of the course each has a “Favorite Hamlet,” and “Favorite Polonius,” and can explain why he/she (!) is their favorite.
The choices directors and actors make these days are, in my opinion, a big part of what make it such an exciting time–dare I suggest, a renaissance of sorts?–in the world of Shakespeare production. It’s not for me to give away any of those choices that Sam Gold & his team have made, but I will say that I keep thinking about them. I have tickets to see it again this summer, and I think I might want to see it a third time before it closes in September. I will say that it is fast, funny, super smart, and has many wonderful surprises. As is, of course, always the case, the better you know the play, the more you can appreciate the cleverness behind those choices.
Next week I will be in Boulder at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival
https://cupresents.org/event/1201/hamlet/
where Hamlet will be played by a woman. My mother (who’s joining me) is already confused and wonders whether there is any “normal HAMLET” out there.
“Is Kenneth Branagh’s film the closest thing?” she asked.
“Yes, I’d say it is, and really, thank heavens we have it because it’s the best baseline, gateway HAMLET as far as I’m concerned.” As an English teacher, I’m so grateful he made that beautiful, epic film.
This will be the second time I’ve seen Hamlet played by a woman in a live production, but the first time that it will be a woman playing a woman. I can’t wait until next spring when I can tell my students about it–and about all the other choices they make.
#teachinghamlet #shakespeare #hamlet #weareonepublic @PublictheaterNY #samgold #oscarisaacs @COShakes #directorialfreedom #shakespearerenaissance #kennethbranaghhamlet