Get thee to Argotti (next year) – that’s the place to be

Drama
Hamlet
Argotti Gardens

When the opportunity arises to see one of Shakespeare’s best known plays by one of the foremost Shakespearean groups in existence, the public response is, more often than not, resoundingly positive, with well-attended performances. It was certainly the case for this year’s Globe Theatre production of Hamlet last week. The Globe Theatre on tour has become a staple and eagerly awaited summer event prominently featured in the Malta Arts Festival.

As often happens with such a play, long plundered by popular culture, the instantly recognisable sound bites and certain traits and key characteristics are the ones which people tend to await and anticipate. Thus old Yorrick’s skull, Ophelia’s death, Hamlet’s state of being and his musings on dreams allow the audience to feel comfortable with the text through the ease of identification. What made this particular production superior, however, was that the significance of these same instances was acknowledged and subtly reworked into the body of the text so as not to showcase them, but rather, allow them to flow organically into the greater concept of the script.

Director Dominic Dromgoole, currently the Globe’s artistic director, had a very clear vision of how he wanted the play to unfold, focusing less on the dark and brooding nature commonly associated with it, in favour of an occasional playful levity which somehow gave the piece an unexpectedly buoyant tone, at times substituting jest for gravitas. It made a refreshing change of perspective, even if it did in certain instances diminish the multi-layered aspect of the script. Mr Dromgoole, who is a self-confessed Shakespearean fanatic, has proven that even tragedy can be made more palatable to an audience by the slight adjustment of focus although this can run the risk of appearing to be sugar-coating. Judging by audience reaction, however, it proved a good move and took the play from its niche as a rather over-analysed, over-intellectualised piece back to its original roots as a play with which the audience could relate more easily – without having to rely on those afore-mentioned clichés.

Touring being what it is, the easily reconstructable stage may have been compact but this certainly did not stop the actors from making full use of the entire performance space with such ease that they seemed to be working on a much larger stage. It was functional to the point where props, as has been the custom in past touring productions, were ready at hand and side benches on the stage itself were as frequently used as the wings while actors waited to go on stage. The muted colour palette used for the costumes – which were a mixture of period garb and a style reminiscent of the 1940s, came in earthy, natural tones and lent itself well to the nature of the play – shorn of frills and affectation.

The great doubling ability that the cast had was a clear example of their comfort with the text as well as their discipline and versatility. I particularly liked Alex Warren’s Laertes/Guildenstern as well as John Belt’s excellent Polonius and all the other guises he took on – from player, to gravedigger, to priest, managing to draw a smile from the audience in all of the right places. Mr Warren created a strong contrast between his comical Guildenstern and his earnest and honourable Laertes, whose affection for his sister Ophelia is matched by his obedience to his father and to his sense of duty.

Jade Anouka’s Ophelia had a sweet demeanour and an engaging earnestness which was only partially marred by a rather sharp tone of voice – Ms Anouka’s portrayal of a young maid’s descent into madness was both poignant and credible. I actually found it to be more in keeping with the strong undertones of discord than the rather flippant attitude adopted by Joshua Maguire in his interpretation of Hamlet, whose feigned madness and rash behaviour cost the lives of the bumbling Polonius and by consequence those of his children, too. Mr Maguire, is undoubtedly a talented actor, but there was something about his Hamlet which somehow made the character less conventionally dramatic – possibly highlighting the tragedy of allowing the bitterness of vengeance to turn one cynical.

Certainly, his only trusted friend was Ian Midlane’s likeable and sensible Horatio – the only one left standing in the end, along with the aloof Prince Fortinbras of Norway, played by Tom Lawrence, who also doubled as Rozencrantz. Simon Armstrong’s Claudius was spot on, although I felt that his doubling as his brother’s ghost might have appeared rather confusing, while Queen Gertrude, portrayed by Amanda Hardingue was every part the loving but fickle mother whom Hamlet feels has disappointed him. The set-up of the “play-within-a-play” scene could not have been given a more convincing and clear stance – it was direction at its best, without going overboard with the symbolism. One of the best things about the annual Globe Theatre production is the wonderful clarity with which the lines are delivered and the clockwork-like precision in the actors’ timing, making the performance slick and keeping up the pace from start to finish.

Despite the chill winds that swept through the gardens last Wednesday, rustling leaves and occasionally wuthering, every single verse could not only be heard perfectly, but also understood in its full meaning. If anything, it made the evening all the more atmospheric. Minor discontents aside, I can definitely confirm that there was nothing rotten at all about the state of this performance – quite the contrary. It made for an interesting piece of theatre.