Hamlet

I caught Mark Kilmurry’s impressive touring production of William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ during its season at the Ensemble theatre. As well as being the Associate Director of the Ensemble Theatre, Kilmurry has his own theatre company, the Studio Company. His Company has a tradition of putting on theatre that relies on physical skills, mime, music and the power of words to convey the play.

Kilmurry’s ‘Hamlet’ was in keeping with this ethos. I mean this in the most literal sense. There was no sophisticated, expansive set. The set amounted to a platform and two ‘ancient’ streetlights. There were no props. Yes, no props! The cast, too, was stripped to the minimum, with only seven actors.

My most apt description of this production was that it was extremely focused. Kilmurry’s raw approach made for one of the most striking productions of ‘Hamlet’ that I have seen. This was an actors’ kind of theatre, with the performers given free reign to weave their magic without distraction.

I found that some of the plays’ most famous scenes, by being mimed, had a more cutting edge. There are two scenes that come to mind. They are the graveyard scene as Hamlet uncomfortably sees his late friend Yorick’s skull, and the famous fatal sword fighting scene at the end that worked effectively without actually needing the clash of steel. In an innovative bit of theatricality, whilst Hamlet was dueling with his foes, Daniel Mitchell’s character stood at a side of the stage, and clashed two small symbols to mimic the sounds of the flashing blades.

The actors gave finely tuned performances, especially in their primary roles. Kilmurry’s Hamlet was full of edginess and intensity. Patrick Dickson’s King Cladius was impressive, full of outward charm and inner cunning and menace. Ben Ager had warmth as Hamlet’s noble friend, Horatio. Ksenja Logos’s nailed Ophelia’s emotionally shattering mad scene. Daniel Mitchell played Polonius with a good comic touch, revealing his characters over the top, know it all nature. Toni Scanlon was cold as ice as Gertrude, in contrast to John Trutwin’s impulsiveness and fire as Laertes.