Hamlet – Analog Artist Digital World

Gertrude and Claudius based on the novel written by John Updike and adapted by Mark St. Germain, acts as a prequel to Hamlet. I had just sketched Hamlet the earlier in the month. The set remained the same, being a royal castle in Denmark. This play began with a royal wedding between King Amieth (Kenny Babel) and Gertrude (Paige Lindsey White). The king was a man with unsubtle tastes and ways but a true love for his queen. On their wedding night be fell fast asleep as the queen got ready for bed.

There was trouble in paradise as the queen felt she lost her identity with her royal responsibilities and she was actually frightened of her son, Hamlet (Junior Nyong’ o). In this play, Hamlet had a very small part to play. This play was about the queen and how she was seduced by the king’s brother, Claudius (Gene Gillette). As the queen felt more confined, the brothers letters from far away lands helped her imagine a life of freedom.

The infamous couple serve as the villains in Shakespeare’s work, but
are offered a new exposition in this tale of good intentions and family
dysfunction. With ominous hints at the familiar story to come, Gertrude and Claudius is a play that shakes up what you thought you knew about the royal couple. It is a classic tale of guilt and revenge.

This was a more modern production as well, without the flowery language of Shakespeare. There were also many moments of levity, acting as a stark contrast to the brooding Hamlet that would follow. Though Hamlet is a classic, this play is far easier to digest. If you have a chance to see both plays, go and see Gertrude and Claudius first and follow that on another night with Hamlet.

Remaining show times are:

Thursday, February 28, 2019 – 7:30 PM

Friday, March 1, 2019 – 7:30 PM

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 – 2:00 PM

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 – 7:30 PM

Saturday, March 9, 2019 – 7:30 PM

Sunday, March 10, 2019 – 2:00 PM – Talk back Performance

Wednesday, March 13, 2019 – 2:00 PM

Friday, March 15, 2019 – 7:30 PM

Saturday, March 16, 2019 – 2:00 PM

Friday, March 22, 2019 – 7:30 PM

Saturday, March 23, 2019 – 2:00 PM

Tickets are $30 to $53

I went to the opening night performance of Hamlet by William Shakespeare at The Orlando Shakes, (812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803). My memory of the play was limited to the notion that at some point, Hamlet talks to a skull. The plot is rather simple. The ghost of Hamlet’s father appears to Hamlet and demands revenge against the uncle who killed him. Hamlet talks endlessly about revenging his father’s death, and then follows through. His every monologue conveys how unhinged he is about the need to avenge his father’s death. I was a bit frustrated that Hamlet had a perfect chance to revenge his father and decided it was too easy so he waited. So many passages have become a part of popular culture.

This play was one of Shakespeare’s most popular works during his lifetime, and still ranks among his most performed. It is also Shakespeare’s longest play with this production running three hours with a 15 minute intermission. I completed most of the sketch in the first act and did most of the watercolor washes during the intermission. This production had actors rushing off and on the stage in quick succession. The cast was on the large side with 17 actors. A huge puff of stage smoke engulfed the audience where I sat when Hamlets ghost appeared.

The play was produced in the round with extra bleachers added to the Margeson Theater. I sat in the added bleachers and unfortunately that meant most of the actors faced away from me directing their performance the audience opposite my position. Junior Nyong’O from Nairobi performed the title role. He brought a frenetic energy to the production focusing on Hamlet’s more twisted, disturbed and sinister motives. Ophelia (Susan Maris) also became completely unhinged when experiencing grief. A pestle with poison, sword play and misfortune plague everyone in the final act. Tragedy wiped the stage clean.