HAMLET REVIEW
The Royal Exchange Theatre is one of the most prestigious theatres in the North West. It should be with a grant of over two million pounds per annum from the Arts Council but it still has to get bums on seats.
Its latest show is Hamlet, one of the most performed and popular of Shakespeare's plays: a story of murder, sex, power and madness, and did I say it is a tragedy? Hamlet is a prince in Denmark and in this performance is played by Salford actor Maxine Peake. It may be new to Manchester to have a woman play the prince but `our Max' follows in the footsteps of such esteemed actors such as Frances de La Tour.
Hamlet finds out that his father has been murdered by his uncle who then takes the throne and beds Hamlet's mother. The father comes back as a ghost to warn the young Hamlet of the wickedness of his uncle and to start a process of revenge and death. This news drives Hamlet demented with thoughts of revenge. His behaviour worries Polonia, his girlfriend Ophelia's mother, who does not want her to have anything more to do with him...
...Ophelia loses her sanity and drowns herself. By the end, the play has more dead bodies than a Tarantino film and, frankly, it's all down to Hamlet. If only he hadn't dithered when he had the chance to kill his uncle early on but he doesn't and the tragedy unfolds and the deaths keep coming...
There are many fine performances: not just from Maxine but also from a strong cast, notably John Shrapnel as the uncle Claudius, Barbara Marten as his mother Gertrude and Gillian Bevan as Polonia (another gender shift). The Royal Exchange is famous for its visuals, and I love the spooky Dr. Who-ish theme as the lights twinkle and we await the ghost of Hamlet's father. There is a blast of a David Bowie track, some rapping and several cute children.
I am not a lover of Shakespeare so it takes a lot to convince me of the worth of such a production. Maybe I have heard too many of the lines such as `To be or not to be' being parodied on the Morecambe and Wise show. Maybe it's because the play is three hours long! Although it would have been even longer if they had not ditched the political scenes with Fortinbras. But I do take delight in seeing a bunch of royals kill each other...
Famous northern writer Jim Allen said of his work; "I hope the audience demand answers and action. I'm not keen on sending them to bed happy - I want them angry to get change." After three hours of Hamlet I was not happy or sad, I just wanted to get to bed!
But make your own mind up. All of the performances are sold out but you can queue up and get the cheapest and some of the best seats, the banquettes, for only nine quid.
Hamlet runs until 25th October at the Royal Exchange Manchester – click here for Box Office details.
• On Sunday, 28th September, Maxine Peake has a `Close Up' with Dave Haslam at the Royal Exchange. Most tickets are sold out but there are some still left, price £5, with restricted views. To get one you have to phone the Box Office directly 061 833 9833
Review by Bernadette Hyland
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