Although it is not required, most New York City high school students encounter at least one Shakespearean play each year. As a result, Hamlet is one of New York’s best-known yet least-read of Shakespeare’s plays. (Remember Cliff Notes?) So, there is no need to restate the plot.
The Onomatopoeia Theatre Company looks beyond the familiar plot to the origin story of Hamlet. Thomas R. Gordon, leader of the Onomatopoeia Theatre Company and director of this production, returns to the Viking story of Prince Amleth. In the 13th century, Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus recorded this tale of betrayal, vengeance, deception, and feigned madness. By drawing on that source, Gordon gives this production of Hamlet a sharper edge. He has assembled a capable cast of Equity and non-Equity actors for an intimate adaptation.
Derek Chariton, whose experience includes theatre and television, gives us a Hamlet who plots elaborate revenge while teetering on the edge of madness. He presents a sympathetic portrait of the prince. When he delivers the soliloquies, Chariton breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the audience. Samuel Shurtieff portrays Claudius, bringing experience in theatre, film, and television to the role. His Claudius is driven by lust—for the queen and for power. Shurtieff makes clear that although Claudius may feel regret, he will not surrender what he gained by killing the king. Jennifer Yadav, a science professor at Adelphi, Hofstra, and Berkeley College, has also performed in theatre, television, and film. She is especially skilled at conveying meaning through body language. Early in the play, when Hamlet speaks with Claudius and Gertrude, Yadav’s posture and gestures make it clear that Gertrude has given her loyalty to Claudius. During Ophelia’s mad scene, she conveys sympathy and a painful awareness of her own powerlessness through her gestures.
Jeff Kushner presents Polonius as a well-meaning but ineffective adviser: a tedious bore whose consistently poor advice leads to disaster. This production marks Kushner’s return to the stage after a long hiatus, following a forty-year career in television and film post-production. Polonius’s daughter, Ophelia, is portrayed by Emily Cummings, who has been honing her considerable talent in off-Broadway productions. Her mad scene evokes sympathy, especially after we have watched Hamlet spurn her and contribute to her unraveling. Dillon John Collins plays Laertes, Polonius’s son and a loyal subject of Claudius. Collins shows how an honorable man is drawn into Claudius’s twisted revenge plot. The fight scene between Laertes and Hamlet is brilliantly choreographed.
Daniel Kornegay plays Horatio. His most recent role was in the off-Broadway production of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Kornegay gives Hamlet a level-headed adviser. Horatio tries to speak with the ghost and convince it to reveal something about the country’s fate. When that fails, he suggests that Hamlet be told about the apparition. Although the rational Horatio struggles to believe the ghost’s claims, he remains a steady and sensible adviser to Hamlet. Throughout the play, Korengay makes it clear that Horatio is the only major character who is sane. Korengay’s Horatio is an objective observer who anchors the play.
Chandler Robyn, a professional artist, enters the theatre as Rosencrantz. Francesca Ravera, who comes from off-Broadway, plays Guildenstern. Claudius, desperate for a reason to kill Hamlet, asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on him. Together, Robyn and Ravera make it clear that the pair are willing to betray their friend for a handsome reward. They also play the gravediggers, displaying impeccable comic timing in that scene. The two also perform capably as members of the troupe of players.
Sarah Hawthorne plays Marcellus, the priest, and a player. With experience on screen and off-Broadway, she is believable in each of these very different roles. As Marcellus, she spots the ghost and sets the play’s events in motion. Kay Benedict, also from off-Broadway, plays Bernardo, Osric, and a player. As Bernardo, she and Marcellus portray two ordinary soldiers loyal to their friends and duty. Benedict’s Osric captures the character’s sycophantic behavior and pretentious speech. Benedict brilliantly summarizes Osric’s character at the end when, surrounded by the dead and dying, he runs off stage.
The goal of the Onomatopoeia Theatre Company is “to create theatre with sound.” That sound may come from music, noise, or the emotions conveyed by an actor. An example of their approach to the use of light and sound is the way they indicate the change of scenes by manipulating light and sound to show the change in scenes. The entire cast fills the stage with the sound of the varying emotions of the characters they portray. The company is determined to push the boundaries of theatre, and the Gene Frankel Theatre nurtures innovative work that speaks to who we are today. This 150-minute production of Hamlet meets those goals.
