JH+Hamlet+Critique

Jenna Huckaby 26 April 2011 Theater Richmond Hamlet Positives 1. The actors- The actors within the play were my favorite asset to this production of Hamlet. They opened the play with an attention–grabbing and comedic scene. The costumes they wore were also dramatic and eye-catching with mismatched black and white pieces and elaborate makeup. Their random appearances throughout the play often provided needed comedic relief with a very sarcastic type of physical and verbal humor. 2. Costumes- Almost all of the costumes were very pleasing to me. They were each elaborate and well suited to their particular character. The king and queen wore costumes suggesting royalty and Oedipus wore an age appropriate dress. These costumes were more legitimate than most of the costumes I have seen in previous plays this year, considering the time period of the story. 3. Lighting- The lighting was very impressive all throughout the play. They transitioned well between the scenes and even amidst scenes. They were useful in changing moods and drawing focus. The use of color and spotlights often added to the intensity and focus of the scene and reflected the mood well. 4. Sound- Like the lighting, the sound effects were highly effective in making the play more real for the audience and deepening the audience’s experience. The sound used with the ghost was attention grabbing and captured the audience’s emotions as well. Moods could also be shifted with the effects like the wind and rain, which helped the audience to associate with the actors in sharing the setting. Any elements that can help the audience connect and experience the show along with the actors are an important asset to a production. 5. Actors- The actors were casted well with good energy and proper characterization. Hamlet effectively played the role of aloof son who doesn’t care much. He was very comic in his repetition, mannerisms, and actions such as taking pictures randomly. The king and queen also fit their roles well with power but not much control over Hamlet. Casting often makes or breaks a production and I think the casting was very well done for this particular production of Hamlet. Negatives: 1. Diction- I think there were times when the diction used by the actors could have been improved. I think there were many challenges facing the actors, such as the Shakespearean language and the monologues ,which required special attention on diction. From my seat in the back, I was having trouble understanding much of what was said and often got lost, especially in the monologues. This created problems following the general action of the play, which is makes the play much harder to enjoy as the audience must intentionally focus on following the actor’s every word rather than sit back and let the play unfold before them. 2. Costumes- Most of the costumes were very well planned, but some of them, Hamlets in particular, didn’t seem to fit. Hamlet’s costume did not appear to fit in concerning the time period. While it makes sense for him to wear a more relaxed outfit, as a reflection to his careless character, his was not timely. His sweatshirt and jeans seemed too modern even for a young man. 3. Set- While the set did appear to be very versatile, I thought it was too bare. It reminded me of a very large jungle gym and left much to the imagination in creating the scenes. I think a changing set with background and full pieces would have been worth the cost and tech work in creating the setting and filling in the stage. 4. Language- Although this point is of no fault of the production, I found the language hard to follow. Because it was not always articulated well, the Shakespearean language was difficult to stay engaged in and often lost me, especially amidst the monologues. The story line was hard for me to catch on to for me because of my difficulty understanding the meaning. 5. Props- Though this is a minor point, I think more props could have been used in the play to add to the realism. They did a good job with the sound and lighting effects and I was impressed with the technical aspects of the play overall, but I noticed the set and props were slightly lacking. If the script didn’t call for many props, I think some could have been added in.