The Antaeus Theatre Company brings a new version of Hamlet, playing at the Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center in Glendale, CA. The play is directed by Elizabeth Swain.
The cast consists of Ramón de Ocampo (Hamlet), Gregg T. Daniel (Claudius/Ghost), Veralyn Jones (Gertrude), Peter Van Norden (Polonius/Gravedigger), Jeanne Syquia (Ophelia/Osric), Michael Kirby (Laertes/Player Queen), Adam J. Smith (Horatio), Sally Hughes (Guildenstern/Voltemand/Reynaldo/Fortinbras), Lloyd Roberson II (Rosencrantz/Barnardo/Player 3&4/Priest/Courtier), and Joel Swetow (Marcellus/First Player/Captain).
One of the challenges of playing Hamlet is the necessity of portraying his theatricality and inwardness throughout the play. A great deal of knowledge and details of the epoch, not disclosed in the play’s text, is of utmost importance to understand Hamlet’s life and deliver his dialogues accurately. For example, the famous “To be or not to be“ monologue seems to be the result of the leccio, meditatio, and questio, a common scholastic methodology taught in the universities of the time, suggesting that Hamlet was a university student. Ramón De Ocampo seems to be aware of those characteristics when delivering the monologues during his stellar performance. His movements as well as his expressions, both facial and vocal, project the intricacies of Hamlet’s tribulations, doubts, and madness. De Ocampo’s charisma portraying Hamlet is a result of his extensive experience playing Shakespeare’s characters, some of the most challenging in theatre history.
Also exceptional is the performance of Peter Van Norden, portraying Polonius and the Gravedigger. He contributed to some of the most hilarious passages of the play.
Swain’s take on Shakespeare’s masterpiece presents a modification to the costumes and characters’ genders. The costumes combine the Renaissance with the contemporary. Also, the original male characters Guildenstern and Fortinbras are played by actress Sally Hughes. These changes are intended to introduce a classic story from the 16th-17th century to a contemporary audience.
For this production, there was no suggestion of the Freudian Oedipus complex hypothesis. This version advocates for a more typical son-mother relationship with no sexual overtones.
The lighting (Jared A. Sayeg, Lighting Designer) offers some crucial ambiance to the play. The Ghost is bathed with a bluish hue that adds mystery and coldness to this pivotal character. The warm, white, and other times directional light contributes to tell the story, magnifying the characters and the diversity of their states of mind. The sound (Cricket Myers, Sound Designer) is also a key factor to create the dramatic effect of the story and the characters. Since the beginning, the sound of thunders set the mood of the play. The eerie voice of the Ghost, the actor’s voice projection in some of the most dramatic scenes keep the play even more interesting and the audience more engaged. The mise-en-scène (Stephen Gifford, Scenic Designer) with the dark floor and columns also add to the dramatic effect, as a latent prelude of tragedies to come. Complementing the production are Costume Designer Dianne K. Graebner, Props Designer Shen Heckel, Violence Designer Ned Mochel and Choreographer Liz Lamura (excellent teamwork to create those sword fighting scenes).
Hamlet, a Renaissance play, continues to intrigue and amuse scholars, producers, directors, actors, and audiences all over the world. Directors like Elizabeth Swain contribute to the richness of the story by adding new insights and interpretations to this timeless masterpiece that feels as new and exciting as it did more than 400 years ago.
Hamlet
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed Elizabeth Swain
Starring Gregg T. Daniel, Ramón de Ocampo, Sally Hughes, Veralyn Jones, Michael Kirby, Lloyd Roberson II, Adam J. Smith, Joel Swetow, Jeanne Syquia, Peter Van Norden
Sponsored in part by Rosemary A. Hernandez
Presented by Antaeus Theatre Company
Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center
110 East Broadway
Glendale, CA 91205
(between N. Brand Blvd. and Artsakh Ave.)
PARKING:
First 90 minutes free, then $2 per hour in Glendale Marketplace garage located at 120 S. Artsakh Ave. (between Broadway and Harvard)
Fridays at 8 p.m.: May 20 (Opening), May 27, June 3, June 10, June 17
Saturdays at 2 p.m.: May 28, June 4, June 11, June 18 (no matinee on Saturday, May 21)
Saturdays at 8 p.m.: May 21, May 28, June 4, June 11, June 18
Sundays at 2 p.m.: May 15 (preview), May 22, May 29, June 5, June 12, June 19
Mondays at 8 p.m.: June 6, June 13, June 20 (dark May 23 and May 30)
Tickets: https://antaeus.org/productions/hamlet/
