Hamlet at BAM Theater: The right choices? That is the Question.

I love the BAM theater, its old withered interior reflecting an aged veteran of New Yorks Avant Garde revival with every crack showing its difference from other painted theaters. How else can a place say “screw your conventions and posturing” like a theater with cracked brick and stripped paint on walls. In all, its glorious and its history of work with the National Theater make it one of the best for innovation of classic works with performances of Elsinore and Hamnet occuring here in the past.

Which brings us to this revival of Hamlet directed by Robert Hastie, off his recent success of Operation Mincemeat, and starring Hiran Abeysekera as the prince himself. By all accounts this is a solid rendition of the bards most famous tragedy with clear skill from the direction and staging that serves a more humorous and in some ways youthful production. No small part to Abeyeskera’s energeticaly emo and boyish cheekiness as Hamlet that helps give a rendition of the character who is uniquely human in his insanity while not losing any of his wit. The use of fourth wall breaks offers us more insight to Hamlets reasoning past his more superficial insanity which only makes his more genuine moments of frustration and breakdowns stronger. This is most notable during his “Am I a coward” and “I am not easier to be played” monologues which can often be a bit more hammy if not done with the proper sensitivity or motive. This does not undermine the comedy he brings to the role as, with Hastie’s surefire direction and comedic understanding, Abeyeskera often brings great facial expressions and reactions with his physicality that play into a very charming and queer coded Hamlet that makes his humor all the more indulgent. This allows for great dynamics as we see his views and moods shift over his love of Ophelia (Francesca Mills) and toying with Polonious (Matthew Cottle). Unfortunately, this is did not translate as well to an engaging relationship with Gertrude, played by Ayesha Dharker, as the two’s chemistry was simply not there and felt quite flat. Dharker does her best but she couldn’t find the conflict or heart or secret evil or any unique take to the timeless character to match this Hamlet which just results in unremarkable exchanges between the character with no weight and a character shift that does not wholly make sense as she turns against Claudius(Alistair Petrie). Francesca Mills picks up the slack with a energized Ophelia who has a less chaste and modest character and is more experienced in her womanly ways as she plays off the well-meaning but foolish Matthew Cottle as Polonius who is hilarious and always a strong choice for you comedy characters in Shakespeare. Mills big moment for Ophelia’s breakdown is uniquely uncomfortable as she dances around with angels wings and screeches her singing and swings a rapier. Far more energetic than the usual melancholy of the scene which makes it more heartbreaking in its own way and is a strong choice for the play as a whole in giving Polonius death the necessary weight to allow the shift in the plays direction.

And this mention of choices is what leads me to an unfortunate realization of this play, it is quite solid but despite its many changes and cuts (some typical such as reducing the Fortinbra’s story down and some less typical such as the to be or not to be which I WILL GET TO) it does feel a standard Hamlet. Its dances along trippingly with some style we see in the Murder of Gonzango appearing like Jamie Lloyd production or Hamlet hallucinating the weapon he used to kill Polonius furthering his delusions, but the rest of the play is just somewhat of a steady pace and energy. It never idles but truly hits that next gear as the show loses energy when Hamlet is not there as the other characters simply don’t have the same attention or energy. This if of no fault of the actors who all do well just simply a result of direction to focus on the comedy of the scenes rather than the subtext of the relationships. Its is competent but the choices don’t always add enough to be warranted to make full sense of their purpose minus Hamlets sanity which in of itself is a success but for the rest? It just feels like wasted flakes of pastry on a Danish.

Which leads to the most unfortunate part of the play, I am the first to admit I am traditionalist when it comes to Shakespeare in some ways. I believe there are some things you do not mess with when it comes to structure and intent in character and the To Be or Not To be monologue is one. Its takes serious gall to mess with a monologue of such importance and yes, innovation is to be understood and choices, from a critic, should be attempted to be understood not just lambasted. In this case, Hastie has moved the monologue to the second act of the play before his fight with laertes away from the early act of the play. I noticed is absence immediately as my mind raced to wonder where it may end up, this monologue that is often done so uniquely whether its staged with Hamlet in privacy or Hamlet being spied on. It offers so many perspectives on if Hamlets madness is genuine, his views on his fathers Ghost, the rumination on what is to come from his action, if he will choose to act and how much he knows; it is a pivotal point for the character. Putting this monologue before the end sort of renders all that nuance moot and reduces it to an overly literal nihilist thought. Abeysekera’s quick deliver also does it a disservice here, its not bad and he manages the pauses but it pales to his previous monologues which in part is due to the fact of where Hamlets character is at. We cannot have Hamlet hold his “all my thoughts be bloody!” resolution before the blood shed before his monologue contemplating action and choice, it is a disconnect that does not work as his choices are already made, his life is out of his hands now, his mind is poisoned as warned by his father. His restraint should be gone by this standard, he has already committed crimes and damned himself by the plays structure and the monologue is not changed enough to perhaps be a rumination of his choices. Its almost as if Hastie had hoped this monologue act more like Macbeths “Tomorrow and Tomorow” monologue, reflection on his circumstance with some understanding what is to come. This does not work for Hamlet as a character unfortunately, especially after the Yorick monologue as well which already acts as a rumination on death and time as it draws on. It’s an unnecessary change and one that soured me the more I tried to understand it as it neither adds or changes enough to justify it.

Let this not dissuade you thought from checking out this production, if you are a true Shakespeare fan this is still plenty delight to be found in this psychological Hamlet that has brilliant comedy and a committed lead and unique Hamlet for it all it deserve commending. Its best to see attempts at innovation rather than tedium such as with the recent Othello and the BAM theater is one of the best places for it.