To see or not to see Hamlet

By Kensey King     3/10/11 6:00pm

For the first time in their 42 year lifetime, Baker Shakespeare is producing the Shakespeare masterpiece Hamlet. Known for its wit, action and famous monologues, Hamlet is a classic Shakespearean play that every cultured individual should experience at least once in their lives. With a stellar cast, great directing and an excellent script, Baker Shake's rendition of Hamlet will undoubtedly delight all audiences.Hamlet follows the lives of the royal men and women of Denmark, opening one month after the death of the wise King Hamlet. One month after her husband passes away, Queen Gertrude remarries the dead king's brother, Claudius. All is well in this marriage until the former king's son, also named Hamlet, who still remains in Denmark, sees a spirit of his late father and turns to seek revenge for his father's death. In the eyes of the court, Hamlet goes mad, and King Claudius and Queen Gertrude attempt to discover the meaning behind Hamlet's insanity. Through a series of deaths and misfortunes, revenge and tragedy unfurl in one of the English language's most eloquently emotional stories.

Making this play come to life and continue to flow for all three hours is a difficult task, especially considering the Shakespearean language. This cast of Hamlet, however, accepts this challenge like it is no big deal. Every single actor down to the last player executes such a brilliant performance, this is the best play at Rice I have ever witnessed.

Leading the entire show with strength and energy, Sid Richardson College sophomore Alex Karge gives life to Hamlet and makes his archaic dialogue fresh and energetic. The number of soliloquies, lines and breakdowns that Hamlet endures throughout the play never tires Karge. His acting is essentially flawless and is reminiscent of a young Steve Martin. Hanszen College junior Aaron Tallman and Sid Richardson sophomore Mackenzie Turner, the incestuous king and queen, do not lean on Karge's performance as they both nail their characters and connect with each other romantically. Martel College sophomore David Howard adds much comedic relief throughout the play through his portrayal of Polonius, the old and senile spy for the king. Howard's delivery of Polonius' final words makes his death more amusing than dramatic. Polonius' children, Ophelia, played by Hanszen sophomore Nicki Pariseau, and Laertes, played by Baker College sophomore Duarte Costeira, follow their father's enhancement of this rich tale. Pariseau is perfectly casted as the ditsy and na've young maiden and is a very convincing lunatic towards the end of the show. At the beginning of the play, Costeira's execution of Laertes did not look promising, but he throws all doubts out the door when he returns later on in the production. My one complaint regarding the cast is in regards to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. While Baker senior Beth England and Baker junior Matthew Winkler deliver their lines fairly strong, they lack the dynamic connection the other actors achieve. If England and Winkler were more in sync with each other's body language and expressions, it would improve their scenes drastically. With such a great Hamlet, the rest of the cast could easily stand in his shadow but everyone, even the minor roles, maintain passionate and consistent characters.

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This play has simple and clean tech. The simplicity of the set and lighting design give the show enough of an environment that the audience travels to a distant setting while still leaving some details to the imagination. One unique aspect of the play is the choice of costumes for the characters. For a few of his scenes Hamlet wears a T-shirt and jeans, giving the production a contemporary vibe. The directors, Haley Cooper and J. Cameron Cooper (Brown College '02), deserve a round of applause for their version of the script, edits and all, and the blocking of the play. Constantly throughout the play, actors enter from all directions, even from behind the audience, which really gives the play momentum.

Overall, the audience will be undoubtedly impressed and entertained by Baker Shake this year. With Beer Bike coming up, what better way to mentally prepare than to watch a play completely devoted to action and revenge? Whether you are a Shakespeare fan or not, you will not be disappointed with Baker Shake's production of Hamlet.

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