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The
Edinburgh Fringe
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Fringe 2003 Reviews (21)Hamlet Calixto Bieito has already shown, in his Macbeth earlier this year, that he has a very fresh and vibrant vision of how Shakespeare should be played. This is not necessarily to the liking of all but it provokes thought and debate. Dare one say it, his productions are also high on entertainment value and contain many unforgettable images. The setting for Hamlet is a night-club named, in pink neon, Palace. The protagonists wear stylish evening party dress with Hamlet all in black and Ophelia gorgeous in a little black number. Continuity is provided by the talented actor-pianist, Karl Daymond. At various times he fills gaps that are inevitable with a cast of only nine. He is Horatio and the ghost, not to mention a brief spell as the gravedigger. He also provides atmospheric music on his piano throughout. This production lasts a mere two hours, so there are many cuts and characters such as Fortinbras and most of the actors do not appear. However, Bieito has worked hard to ensure that the spirit and much of the poetry of the original is retained. The speech is delivered at breakneck speed and, possibly to draw the attention of the audience, the shaven-headed Hamlet, George Anton speaks at low volume. One effect of this is that when he does get emotionally loud, the impact is great. Some of the Bieito interpretations make one look at Shakespeare's most familiar play afresh. Much of the behaviour appears to be fuelled by drink and drugs, especially the ghost scenes. This Hamlet is not mad, his behaviour is excessive but that of a sane, if darkly brooding man. There is also little chance to hide. Hamlet is seen raping Ophelia and her death is artistically depicted, symbolically drowned by the tapes carrying the news that Hamlet has forsaken her. Incest is part of this play but in this version sex is high on the agenda as Hamlet shows homosexual tendencies and parents and children get too close for comfort. While George Anton is not the most imposing Hamlet seen in recent years, Diane Fletcher and George Costigan make a good couple as Claudius and Gertrude; and Rachel Pickup is a nice, modern Ophelia. This is another in-yer-face Bieito Shakespeare and while some of the director's excesses, both violent and humorous, may seem unnecessary, the excitement and fresh approach make it all worthwhile. The Principle of Motion This is the kind of production for which the Fringe exists. It's in the process of development and the company is using its three weeks in Edinburgh as just one stage in that development. Director Adam Barnard hopes that it will be possible to continue working on the piece when the Fringe ends. Based on the story of the "Mechanical Turk", the chess-playing automaton which fascinated Europe during the eighteenth century, it also touches on the work done on the Enigma machine at Bletchley during World War II and Alan Turing's work which was to lead to the development of the modern computer. Although the main focus of the play is on the eighteenth century story, there are fairly frequent switches to the twentieth. Between them, the cast of six play over twenty parts, each part identified by a change of an item of costume. Was the Turk a genuine invention, driven by cogs, wheels and magnets, or was it a trick, an illusion? Much is made, at the beginning of the play, of the rational explanations for the conjuring tricks which so impressed the Empress Maria Theresa and so the final revelation does not really surprise. The cast work extremely hard and the first two-thirds of the play grip the audience's attention but the final third is over-long and the dramatic tension sags somewhat. The WWII interludes tend to lose their way a bit, too, in a rather unnecessary and irrelevant look at a relationship between Turing and one of the Bletchley staff, which contributes towards the piece losing focus. It's an interesting piece and one which one hopes Adam Barnard and his talented cast will be able to develop further. Under Milk Wood Guy Masterson has already received a nomination from The Stage as Best Actor on the Fringe. This is well-deserved. His one-man rendition of Under Milk Wood is a superb effort, and the last word is chosen carefully. For 100 minutes, Masterson transforms himself into the 69 characters that make up Dylan Thomas' classic play. Under Tony Boncza's direction and with assistance from Matt Clifford's soundscape and great lighting, he dashes around changing character by the minute. His characterisation is so good that at no point is there ever a doubt as to whom he is portraying. With a rich Welsh accent, this pyjama-clad man uses no more than his voice and sinuous hand movements to conjure up all of the Llareggub favourites: Blind Captain Cat with his memories; Polly Garter with her babies; Organ Morgan always playing with his organ!; and dozens of others alive and dead. This is a virtuoso performance from a man with tremendous sensitivity. It raises the question as to why any Under Milk Wood needs a large company of actors. The answer is that few have Guy Masterson's energy, commitment or talent. |
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