Hamlet Shakespeares Globe

Well I really enjoyed this. In the interests of full disclosure I'm a big admirer of Michelle Terry's work on stage and the poor reviews had somewhat tempered my expectations but I just don't agree with the reviews that have said this really doesn't work. It is true that it probably lacks that cohesive overall director view and there were some scenes that seemed rather thrown away but I liked it by the interval and really enjoyed it by the end. I would argue that the gender swapping worked, for me it played just as this was the best actor for the role so they've got it regardless of gender rather than just changing genders because you could. This Hamlet is one almost paralysed by grief at the start, who has palpable connections with the ghost (I've never seen a ghost that unbends, they do always seem to be stiff and very much other) with Horatio and R and G and Ophelia, which does rather help make everything else believable. The antic disposition is very visible in that clown outfit but rather lent itself to the obvious confusion and distancing from Claudius etc as to just what was wrong with the prince. It's certainly was the first grave digger scene that I haven't wanted to push him back down that hole, for once Hamlet seemed to have found someone who could match his speed of thought, his word play. Betrayal and death cut hard here and MT did what I would have hoped for from the part with some able support from the wider cast, (the casting of a deaf actress is incorporated very well and even more so in As you like it). With a few past Globe performers here who knew just how to play the space and get the most out of the groundlings. I'd gone with a friend who's an English teacher, has taught Shakespeare but didn't really know Hamlet and he really enjoyed it.


I would think having as per normal directors moving forwards would seem sensible but whatever ensemble process they'd been through had clearly worked well to bond them together so they worked well together.

I’ve just returned two tix for the 6.30 tomorrow, front row middle Gallery. They should be on sale now.

I'm going to Othello Weds matinee - reportedly the hottest day of the year so far. Is it going to be hell?