SHAKSPER 1993: *Hamlet* Interpretation

From: Hardy M. Cook (hmcook@boe00.minc.umd.edu)
Date: 05/10/93 

Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 286.  Monday, 10 May 1993.
 
From:           ROBERT W. RIEMERSMA <RWRIEMER@DEPAUW.BITNET>
Date:           Monday, 10 May 1993 00:35:40 -0500 (EST)
Subject:        _Hamlet_ Interpretation
 
I just returned from seeing _Hamlet_ at the IRT (Indiana Reportory Theatre),
directed by Libby Appel.  This production was very interesting, in that it was
a contemporary interpretation of the play.  Set still in Denmark (no changing
of the language of the play), but the set was designed as a big concrete and
iron construct, with two levels.  The actors were all in contemporary dress,
Claudius with a purple theme (purple suit-coat, purple bath-robe, etc.), Hamlet
with a very distinct black and white theme, etc.  The various night watchman
roles were costumed with Heavy mag-lite flashlights and SWAT-style face
shields.  The whole thing seemed to play very well with a combination of the
idea of a royal kingdom, and "Denmark's a prison" idea.
 
Every other interpretation I've seen of Shakespeare that wasn't a classical
interpretation, I've found just clouds up the story, but this is the first one
where I didn't find myself imagining in my mind classical dress, in fact, I
couldn't have, because I was so caught up in the story/set/costumes/etc. to
even think about that.  It just worked great.


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