Review of Hamlet (2009) by Peter J — 28 Apr 2010

I could gush about Dr. Who and Captain Picard. But frankly, that's just stupid.

What this really is, is Shakespeare done right with a damned good cast. It suffers from some stage-y-ness, and sadly I didn't like Edward Bennett (Laertes) nor Mariah Gale (Ophelia) that much. The CCTV stuff felt like a tacked on gimmick throughout. But in the end, Gregory Doran let the actors deliver Shakespeare's language, and Shakespeare's language is that of the human experience. Rediscovering that through a thorough but simply themed adaptation was a real joy.

Tennant was great in the lead. Early he felt uninspired, but I warmed up to his intimacy with the camera. Stewart was outstanding, commanding, subtle, intelligent, motivated.... no wonder every Trek since TNG has flopped, they didn't have this genius craftsman in the lead. His Claudius is impeccable, and I especially loved his introspective prayer. Gorgeously framed, powerfully played, and then the subtle quirky twist after Hamlet's exit to make it a masterpiece. Penny Downie as Gertrude was also outstanding. I never cared for the Queen much before this performance. Subtle early on, but real enough that the directional choices and character motivation in the infamous bedchamber scene were absolutely spot on. Oliver Ford Davis was the consummate Polonius, character acting at it's finest, and John Woodvine was fantastically rich as the brief but memorable Player King.

I saw the PBS airing and it felt like a couple of scenes were clipped by rough cuts. Don't know if this was a TV thing or just an artifact from the stage version. Either way, this is a highly recommended and engaging performance of Shakespeare's enduring tragedy by the premiere acting company in charge of continuing his legacy. Bravo!