Hamlet – Southwark Playhouse

Lazarus Theatre Company offer a different approach to producing a Shakespeare production.  Reimagining the classics is their game, collaborating with their artists, they have an emphasis on ensemble work, which was in evidence in this Hamlet production.  Lazarus have co-produced this show with Southwark Playhouse’s Shakespeare for Schools Project, and the youthful cast encouraged a younger audience to come along to watch.

Hamlet was a reluctant choice for Artistic Director Ricky Dukes, as he felt that it has been exhausted, and there can be an issue of what can we add to a production, but they need not have worried, this production packs a punch and enables Shakespeare’s language to work within this ensemble framework. 

The opening scene is a case in point, The Voice (Micha Colombo) echoes around the space; the cast sit in a circle as though in a therapy session, all wearing similar blue tops and joggers – all equal, developing the piece together.  This very modern production uses TVs at the back of the set to add another dimension; we even follow Ophelia into the loos at one point!

For many of the young cast, this is their debut professional performance, Michael Hawley as Hamlet shone bright, sometimes manic, sometimes lucid, but always in control of his movement and language.  The cast helped to make this performance feel fresh and newly revitalised.  The ensemble feeling to the play continued with a chorus which was first introduced at the point of Hamlet searching for his father’s ghost, the use of subdued lighting from lighting designer Stuart Glover, and smoke created an eerie atmosphere that worked well with the chorus performing the ghost’s lines.  Simple effects such as Hamlet using torchlight to highlight who was speaking, and a particular favourite of mine to come from the set designer (Sorcha Corcoran), was the skull in the drinks fridge.

This play was designed for the younger audience, and its punchy sharp delivery works well.  There is currently a trend to present modern versions of Shakespeare and other classics, especially renaissance theatre, with differing success, but I was incredibly pleased to see an inventiveness that took the changes just far enough, without losing the feeling of this being a Shakespeare play.  The language is there, with some modern language thrown in here and there, but it works well, and suits the young audience.

If the intention was to encourage a younger audience to connect with Shakespeare, then this play deserves to be a success, and all the artists involved deserve a huge pat on the back.  The proof was in the age range of the audience members, who seemed pleased with what they saw.

Recommended for ages 14+, this is a good play to introduce teens to Shakespeare and find out that it is vibrant and exciting.  Go on, dip your toe into the Shakespearean water!

Hamlet runs at the Southwark Playhouse Borough until the 4th February.  To find out more and to book, go to – https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/hamlet/

Reviewer: Caroline Worswick

Reviewed: 21st January 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★