Pointing up uncertainties in Hamlet
INNOVATIVE Dublin theatre company Pan Pan brings its take on Hamlet to Cork’s Everyman Palace Theatre tonight and tomorrow. This version of the play, entitled The Rehearsal, Playing the Dane, scrutinises the complexity of Hamlet and even goes so far as to allow the audience to choose from one of three actors up for the role of the great procrastinator. This is all part of the play, which has been on a major tour that started off at the Melbourne Festival in October.
Speaking from New York during the play’s run there, director Gavin Quinn describes the production as being an honest reaction to Hamlet. “It’s a very alive piece; audiences really go for it. We thought it might be interesting to involve the audience in the difficulties involved in casting the character of Hamlet. You could say that the role is almost unplayable. It’s such a demanding role and it’s hard to meet expectations. Some say the role is too funny; others say it’s too antic or too serious. Playing the role is almost an impossible task, a Herculean feat. That was our original idea.”
