Review: HAMLET at Pop-up Globe Auckland

Reviewed by Glenda Pearce

"To be or not to be....", "Alas, poor Yorrick, I knew him Horatio," "The lady, methinks, doth protest too much", " Neither a lender nor a borrower be...", "To thy own self be true", "For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." Is there any other 400-year-old theatrical story with so many well-known phrases? "Hamlet" is the most famous play ever written in the history of theatre. And without any doubt, its pathos, its magic, its energy, and its exploration of the revenge tragedy of a prince asking by his father's ghost to avenge his death, is being captured with intelligence, psychological truth and skill by the entire cast of the Duke of Nottingham's Company at the Pop Up Globe.

Imaginatively staged, thoughtfully interpreted and ably directed by David Lawrence, "Hamlet" has within it the ability to create theatrical magic whilst presenting the complexities of human beings who have the same passions, desires, ambitions and needs as we all have. It's those feelings and desires to which we can all connect. Shakespeare knew this well - and the direction of this play presented a range of skilled and moving performances that had groundlings in front of me, and the audience seated in the bays of the lower gallery beside me, entirely captivated.

Costuming (Hannah Lobelson) is firmly set in 1616, and indicative of both status and personality, they convey the story effectively - in terms of class, status and temperament. Lighting, the sound of cannons, pipes and drums and special effects are woven effectively throughout the story from the opening scene, which is set on a smoke-filled castle rampart. The Ghost (Hugh Sexton) is ethereal, and his sequences are smooth exits and entrances, appearing and disappearing with a rapidity that is truly ghostly. His guttural bass tones, his grey skull -like visage and his physicality of a king wearied by battle but yet still stabbing and killing as if in combat, have the audience immediately engaged.

From the time, Hamlet (Adrian Hooke) appears - the audience is in no doubt of the quality of this production. The famous soliloquies and immortal lines are spoken with immediacy, energy and a desire to communicate the way his mind is searching to understand the task his much loved (and murdered) father has placed upon him. Hooke finds the irony and the humour within Hamlet's madness and without doubt, is the smartest person in every scene, commanding the stage with his open, honest and passionate performance.

Other outstanding performances come from Polonius (Salesi Le'ota) who is suitably pompous with the modern element of his natural wit so well executed, that the audience genuinely likes him, and is moved by his accidental death. His cell phone was a modern touch adding a further ironic twist. Rosencrantz (Anya Tate-Manning) and Guildenstern (Matu Ngaporo) are a comic duo setting out to play both sides and do this with a humorous "interwoven" physical and verbal interplay. Ophelia (Summer Millet) moves quickly and skillfully from a happy sister and naïve girl who has always loved Hamlet to an obedient and confused daughter driven to a tragic, song-filled, flowery madness. Her plaintive, painful tones touch the hearts of all those watching. Laertes (Will Alexander) is commanding as her brother, determined to avenge the deaths of his much-loved sister and father.

The final scene is a theatrical triumph. The sword fight with rapiers and daggers) is expert, explosive, elegant, authentically deadly and riveting and lasts longer than seven minutes. Congratulations here to the Head of Stage Combat, Alexander James Holloway for a sword fight of international quality. The smiling villain King Claudius (Max Loban) is stabbed on (literally to) his throne, convincing the audience his murderous ambition has deservedly led to his own demise. Hamlet's final words are spoken softly on the steps of the stage, and we feel that "the rest is silence." The final moments are poetic, and the catharsis is emphasised by pipe music and a slow respectful dance, before the closing jig.

Pop Up versions of Shakespeare's plays are always edited to 2 hours and 15 minutes in production - but nothing appeared to have been lost in this emotionally powerful and articulate version. It is an outstanding final show in the 2018/2019 Pop Up season.

Pop-up Globe
80 Ascot Ave
Ellerslie
Bookings: https://popupglobe.co.nz/shows/hamlet/