Hamlet
Company: La Boite
Venue: Roundhouse Theatre, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane
Dates: To 14 March 2010
Shock to the system
From thunderous opening to final murderous act, La Boite’s production of Hamlet is action-packed Shakespeare as you’ve never seen it before. It’s Shakespeare for the MTV Generation, if you will.
Directed by the company’s new Artistic Director David
Berthold, this show is exactly the sharp, modern and provocative drama
La Boite was once known for. 
The
show contains some strong language (and I’m not talking about iambic
pentameter), realistic violence and an unexpected nude scene, so it’s
not one for the faint-hearted or Shakespeare traditionalists. That said,
it’s the production in a spate of modern adaptations of classic
plays most likely to encourage a new generation of enthusiasts.
Toby Schmitz is the moodiest, most sarcastic Hamlet I’ve ever seen, and certainly the best looking in a long time. Eugene Gilfedder plays the dual ‘King’ roles (the scheming Claudius and ill-fated former King Leopold) with considerable menace, while Helen Howard is both the flighty newlywed and concerned mother, Gertrude. Newcomer Gemma Yates-Round is a foul-mouthed Ophelia, portrayed with far more guts than many previous wishy-washy, girly interpretations. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are also surprisingly devious, while some ad-libbed quips and peculiar line delivery add lighter moments to what is predominantly a thrilling murder mystery.
The score by Steve Toulmin (who also features in the cast) is electric, and paired with the dramatic lighting and sparse set, there are some truly creepy moments. The introduction of rock songs in lieu of the ‘players’ sequences enlivens previously dull segments of the play. Detailed and thoughtful costuming adds depth to the scenes as well, with Leopold’s ghostly apparition being particularly confronting.
My only criticism of the play is the speed with which some of the lines are delivered – the cast are so clearly immersed in their character and emotions that some of the dialogue is almost spat out of their mouths and too bad if you miss it – there are no subtitles or rewind buttons to help you catch up.
Hamlet is a riveting start to La Boite’s year – let’s hope the hits keep rolling for the company in 2010.
Belinda Yench