Hamlet - Tom Hiddleston, Kenneth Branagh, RADA fundraiser

[kathryn]

I know many people who would, too. In fact I saw someone on twitter who bought 5 programmes because friends who couldn't get a ticket want them.
I hope they ordered enough to last through this week.

[Tibidabo]

Sept 18, 2017 15:22:09 GMT kathryn said:

I hope they ordered enough to last through this week.

Eeek! So do I!

[Deleted]

Sept 18, 2017 15:22:09 GMT kathryn said:

I hope they ordered enough to last through this week.

I'm not altogether sure whether that's a plea from kathryn or a threat to dear old Kenny B and the staff at RADA.

I'm hedging my bets with a bit of both.

[Tibidabo]

Just in from seeing this tonight - too late for coherent thoughts, but important stuff can't wait. Hiddles does, indeed, sport Calvin Klein undercrackers and his phone was clearly defined in the back right hand pocket of his jeans. 


Oh, and it was absolutely A-Maze-Ing!👏

[Marwood]

Sept 2, 2017 11:50:17 GMT Marwood said:

Mention of a rapping gravedigger isn't what I wanted to hear going into this...

Thankfully the gravedigger was singing rather than rapping (plus playing the drums on some skulls if that counts as a bonus): I was very impressed with this production, more thoughts in the next day or two (its been a very long day). Only merchandise I spotted other than the programmes was a RADA hoodie: but I have to say there was an excellent display of drinks and snacks on offer in the bar, just a shame I didn't have a bit longer to try them out.

[kathryn]

Damn, I'd done so well lowering my expectations, and now they're all high again!

Going tonight - it's going to feel like a very long day at work.

[Marwood]

I'm not the biggest of Shakespeare fan by any means (I've only seen a few of the plays performed on the stage, and the only other Hamlet I've seen live was the Michael Sheen/Young Vic five or six years back) but I thought this really was a quality production. Yes it was expensive but the view of proceedings I had was superb (front row side on in the middle, only a couple of feet away from the action) and its not really that expensive compared to some of the other shows on in the West End at the moment like Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and The Ferryman.

The staging was very minimal with just a desk,a few items of furniture and a set of doors in act one, and even less in act two (not sure if Hiddleston actually hurt his foot when he kicked the sofa in act one or if the 'ooof' is intentional, I guess I shall never know) with a nice use of lighting and music (the lighting in the graveyard scene was superb, although not sure how much people sat upstairs or right at the back of ground level could see). I was especially impressed with the sword fight, must have taken a hell of a lot of training and rehearsal to get that into shape to go at such a speed without anyone getting injured.

I thought Hiddleston was great, and really seemed to be enjoying himself, maybe a little overshouty in act one (a fair bit amount of spit flying out of his mouth at times, I feared for some of the people sat on the other side of the auditorium at moments), and some of the shouting was so full on I though he might give himself an embolism at some point, but he seemed a lot calmer in act two. A nice little bit of dancing with Rosacrantz and Guildastern too, but I won't be ordering that 'Tom Hiddleston Sings...' album when it comes out after hearing him in that opening scene.

The supporting cast were uniformly good, especially Sean Foleys Polonius and Nicholas Farrells Claudius, but I can't really say anyone could be described as a weak link. Only minor gripes - I also thought act one dragged a little bit towards the end, and maybe they could have had different actors playing King Hamlet/the Player and Polonius/Osric, but I'm still so glad I saw this, easily in the top 3 productions I've seen this year.

[kathryn]

Well. I almost wish I was a smoker, so I could light up a cigarette right now. That was a deeply *satisfying* experience.

Not the most conceptual or illuminating Hamlet I've ever seen (Ben Whishaw is still just about my favourite, for making me see the character in a different way) - this was very much focused on the words and the performances, but when you have such words, delivered so well, by a cast without a weak link, and led by a Hamlet with a real gift for saying them, that is all you really need.

Staging a great sword fight at the end was just icing on the cake. Even I, as a fan, can sometimes forget just how athletic and physical an actor Tom Hiddleston is. He really does move beautifully.

His Hamlet is never mad, rather he is volatile in his grief and depression. Lovely contrast with Claudius and his counterfeited emotions, who was all seeming and no genuine feeling at all.
Testament to how well the opening scenes with Hamlet singing (not *too* terribly, to my ear) to himself and Claudius worked is that I didn't realise they'd cut the opening ghost scene entirely until Horatia and co turned up to talk about it. I really missed that opening ghost scene from CumberHamlet, so I was surprised the opening worked so well without it here.

I though that opening song sparked a lovely moment of recognition
And realisation later on when Ophelia sung the same song to Gertrude.

I though the relationship berween Hamlet and Rosacrantz and Guildastein was really well-drawn and contrasted nicely with Horatia's relationship with him.

I really enjoyed the 'get thee to a nunnery' scene with Ophelia especially - lovely realisation of betrayal in the middle of it, and switches in emotion. The interpretation of that scene in the Scott-Icke production didn't work for me at all (but then there were lots of elements of the Icke production that didn't quite gel for me).

Marwood, I can guarantee that hurting his foot on the couch is deliberate because the same 'accident' does not happen 2 nights in a row and he did it again tonight. The pain takes him out of his rage so it serves a dramatic purpose.

Sadly we counted about 7 or 8 empty seats, although it did mean we got to shift along a few seats to be more central in the circle. We had Helena Bonham Carter up in the circle with us - Hiddleston definitely directed a smile her way during the bows.

[lynette]

Nice review Kathryn, thanks. And Marwood, thanks. 
Huh, empty seats. How annoying.

[kathryn]

It looked like they had students standing by to fill seats in the stalls, but the ones next to us in the circle stayed empty. They must have been house seats or no-shows/returns (or maybe even cancelled because people tried to re-sell them?) as my friend said they were not available when she bought ours.

Once we collected out tickets we were not allowed out of the building with them again - I guess that's one way to combat touts!

[Tibidabo]

Review from Tuesday night and a massive Thank You to Marwood for his spare ticket and apologies for going to the wrong place.😳

To explain where I'm coming from - going through all my theatre programmes before seeing this I was surprised to realise that Hamlet was a bit like Gone With the Wind or Casablanca in that I had never actually seen a full-blown British production or studied it at school or college, despite thinking I had and knowing all the quotes. I had actually seen 2 ropey Spanish productions (while my Spanish was still sketchy) and 2 spin-offs (don't ask!) I also taught it and dramatised key scenes with year 5/6 children last year, so was familiar enough with the story.

I have never liked modern dress Shakespeare - even when I was young and alternative! So I was a bit worried this would spoil it for me.  Well, I can only say that after two minutes of studying Tom Hiddleston's bu.......ff coloured boots, *drink* I completely forgot about it as it just simply worked. Their clothing was mainly muted tones of denim, navies, greys and blacks and fitted perfectly with the understated delivery of the lines. The only time the costumes seemed a bit weird was in the final scene, when many of them wore buttoned up coats of various colours.  But I'm being picky!

I was talking to one of this year's graduates, who was manning the cloakroom, and she told me that Kenneth Branagh had come to do what they thought was a masterclass on audition technique.  That he was secretly auditioning them wasn't discovered until 2 of this year's graduates actually got cast - Eleanor de Rohan as Guildastern and Irfan Shamji as Laertes.  I could actually feel the excitement she felt for them being a part of this production. Such a wonderful experience for them!

I was surprised to really love Branagh's direction - he has never been someone I've sought out to watch. There were many 'cheap' laughs which I wasn't sure about to begin with, but I ended up going with it and thoroughly enjoying.  Sean Foley's exuberant Polonius was a stand-out for me. I also loved Lolita Chakrabarti's understated Gertrude and Nicholas Farrell's tempered Claudius. (What a beautiful voice he has!) Ayesha Antoine as Rosacrantz and Ansu Kabia as King Hamlet and the skull-drum-playing gravedigger also put in lively, enjoyable performances.

I found myself questioning whether I had spent my whole life saying (and spelling) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern incorrectly and it wasn't until Marwood pointed out that it was a way of feminising the names that I realised what was going on with that! Those two played by females worked....just. Horatia not so much, although Caroline Martin, who played her, was fantastic. My grumble is that I think Hamlet's best friend needs to be a bloke for it to work. But again, I'm nit picking!  

I find the part of Ophelia is pretty much like that of the leading lady in panto, such as Cinderella or Alice Fitzwarren. Picked for looks, seriously crap lines that often appear out of context within the play and not much coveted by actresses I suspect.  Perhaps I protest a little too much, but you get my drift...

The sword fight, already mentioned by Marwood, was indeed stunning. The shape of the stage was long and narrow and we in the front row on both sides were seriously close to the action. They put a very slightly raised metal floor down, all the way along the middle for the fight - I suspect this may have been to keep the actors from veering off into the audience. (Though Hiddles can whack me with his sword any time! *drink*) This must have taken ages to perfect - it was seriously impressive - lots of thwacking noises, so no plastic blades and Laertes, as already mentioned, was a young RADA graduate without any swashbuckling film experience.

I don't know Tom Hiddleston from the films he is currently making - not my scene - I only know him from the telly - mainly The Night Manager. I was worried I would be disappointed as I wasn't sure of his versatility. Well, wow! He was made for this. He somehow spoke the lines as though they had been written in 2001, not 1601, and was both understated and commanding. Although we were so close I could have touched him (!) I never ever felt I was intruding or encroaching on his space, as can happen in small theatres at times. He received a full standing ovation, thoroughly deserved.

I feel honoured to have seen this and it was worth every single penny.

[kathryn]

That's a great bit of gossip about the auditions!

I think I semi-agree with you about the female casting, in that all of Hamlet's friends being women seems a tad odd. It seems like it should have a point - it should be saying something about Hamlet and his relationship with women, but the production really doesn't do so. They're just his friends - possibly Horatia and Hamlet might have a closer relationship than normal, but it's entirely based on what's already in the text.

Of course, the reason it has been cast that way is that the production is much more focused on the experience of the cast and crew than the audience, being a vanity project, so 'it gives more women a chance to play Shakespearean roles' is the actual reason for it. And it's not a bad reason - though it sits a little oddly with Hamlet's rather misogynistic views on women, which Hiddleston does not shy away from expressing. Unless we're meant to think the rather shallow friendship with Rosacrantz and Guildastein has influenced him?

I thought there was an implication that Ophelia was pregnant in her mad scene, which puts a bit of a twist on their relationship.

Yes, Hiddleston is notable for ability to speak Shakespeare as if it was written yesterday, at speed, while still honouring the iambic pentameter. He actually started out his theatrical career with Cheek By Jowl, who are known for being very actor-focused and developing young talent, before working with Michael Grandage. He was a stand-out as Cassio in the McGregor-Ejiofor Othello at the Donmar Warehouse, before he got his Hollywood break. It's not just his TV and film work that made people want to see his Hamlet.

Check out the first BBC Hollow Crown sequence sometime - he plays Hal to Simon Russell Beale's Falstaff in The Henry IVs and then Henry V. The Richard II adaptation with Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear is excellent.

[lynette]

Ophelia pregnant interesting. Goes with song

[Marwood]

I am sorry to say that while I was sitting as close as Tibidabo to Mr. Hiddleston, I was not trying to discern the make of his undercrackers so I hope you can accept my apologies for not paying enough attention, peoples 

I did think about trying to nick one of the two swords that were dropped by my feet during the fight at the end, but had visions of being spotted and chased down Malet Street by Ken Branagh in a Benny Hill style so managed to resist the temptation.

[Tibidabo]

Sept 21, 2017 16:54:54 GMT Marwood said:

I am sorry to say that while I was sitting as close as Tibidabo Bbc to Mr. Hiddleston, I was not trying to discern the make of his undercrackers

Neither was I.....🎭😂they were just.........there!

[kathryn]

We got a good view of the waistband of them peeking out over the back of his jeans from the circle!

Also of his taut stomach when his jumper rode up a bit as he was being carried out.

Still a bit amused that they have a costume designer and a costume sponsor and yet Hiddleston appears to be wearing his own jeans, jumper and coat, which he has been wearing all year. If they're not his actual clothes they must have deliberately picked a costume as close to what he usually wears as possible. Not quite sure whether it's the result of character work or not!

[kathryn]

Interview with Branagh in the Telegraph:

www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/playwrights/kenneth-branagh-interview-tom-hiddleston-always-honest-hamlet/amp/

I am not sure if I believe this bit!

'Rather incredibly, neither he nor Hiddleston seems to have fully anticipated the demand. “I’m very, very surprised at the amount of attention it has got,” he confesses, suavely dressed in dark blue blazer and jeans, still boyish at 56. His leading man even worried there might be empty seats. “We thought we should do a ballot, because we knew he had fans, but Tom was very sweet about it and genuinely asked ‘Do you think we’ll sell out?’”'

Hiddleston sold out the 250 seat Donmar across 70+ performances for Coriolanus - they added an extra week with tickets allocated by ballot at the end of the run due to the demand and did a cinema broadcast that reportedly sold 600,000 tickets, and then had an encore showing. Coriolanus is certainly more obscure than Hamlet and Josie Rourke is not a household name as a director. And that was before The Night Manager.

The idea that he's seen as a cerebral rather than an emotional actor is also a bit strange. Maybe if you've only seen The Night Manager you might think that? Maybe he's read too many Gruan commenters calling him 'wooden'? Maybe he's having a crisis of confidence? You couldn't possibly think him cerebral rather than emotional if you've seen him play virtually any other part.

[Deleted]

How incredibly disingenuous. Even if they'd not done theatre before, they both know they're international figures, and the fact they both (presumably) know how Coriolanus went down just makes them sound like... you know the new Taylor Swift song, and at the end of the video all the different Taylors from different eras are lined up? They're the You Belong With Me Taylor, all wide-eyed surprised face and "you guys!", and I'm either zombie Out Of The Woods Taylor telling them "stop making that surprised face, it's so annoying" or Shake It Off Taylor saying "yeah, you can't possibly be that surprised all the time".

[kathryn]

I have been doing my very best to avoid all things Taylor Swift. But I do know what you mean, yes.

It does seem ridiculously disingenuous. I mean, I know actors are often a lot more insecure than they appear, but Hiddleston has that public school boy confidence and I find it hard to believe that even the considerable kicking he has taken in the press this past year has dented it *that* much.

[Deleted]

Sept 22, 2017 9:32:21 GMT @baemax said:

How incredibly disingenuous. Even if they'd not done theatre before, they both know they're international figures, and the fact they both (presumably) know how Coriolanus went down just makes them sound like... you know the new Taylor Swift song, and at the end of the video all the different Taylors from different eras are lined up? They're the You Belong With Me Taylor, all wide-eyed surprised face and "you guys!", and I'm either zombie Out Of The Woods Taylor telling them "stop making that surprised face, it's so annoying" or Shake It Off Taylor saying "yeah, you can't possibly be that surprised all the time".

Perfect analogy is perfect on so many levels. 

But yes, lads, I find it VERY hard to believe you were even a tiny bit surprised. You're both intelligent blokes, you're both men of the world, you also were using this as a BENEFIT because you knew it would RAISE MONEY AND PROFILE. 

Ahem, ok I'm over it. 

(I also mis-read originally and thought it was saying Hiddles was 56) 

[Marwood]

A few pictures courtesy of RADA's Facebook page: Hamlet

[nash16]

Sept 22, 2017 9:15:41 GMT kathryn said:

Interview with Branagh in the Telegraph:

www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/playwrights/kenneth-branagh-interview-tom-hiddleston-always-honest-hamlet/amp/

I am not sure if I believe this bit!

'Rather incredibly, neither he nor Hiddleston seems to have fully anticipated the demand. “I’m very, very surprised at the amount of attention it has got,” he confesses, suavely dressed in dark blue blazer and jeans, still boyish at 56. His leading man even worried there might be empty seats. “We thought we should do a ballot, because we knew he had fans, but Tom was very sweet about it and genuinely asked ‘Do you think we’ll sell out?’”'

Hiddleston sold out the 250 seat Donmar across 70+ performances for Coriolanus - they added an extra week with tickets allocated by ballot at the end of the run due to the demand and did a cinema broadcast that reportedly sold 600,000 tickets, and then had an encore showing. Coriolanus is certainly more obscure than Hamlet and Josie Rourke is not a household name as a director. And that was before The Night Manager.

The idea that he's seen as a cerebral rather than an emotional actor is also a bit strange. Maybe if you've only seen The Night Manager you might think that? Maybe he's read too many Gruan commenters calling him 'wooden'? Maybe he's having a crisis of confidence? You couldn't possibly think him cerebral rather than emotional if you've seen him play virtually any other part.

Tom was very sweet about it and genuinely asked ‘Do you think we’ll sell out?’”'

What a bell end he is.  How do people still for for his/this rubbish?

[kathryn]

Well, frankly, I suspect Chuckles Branagh of being disingenuous/telling porkie pies.

[theatremadness]

It's the big day for me this afternoon, trés excited!!

[skullion]

I'm assuming it was 'sold out' but there were several empty seats when I went.