FOUR STARS

 

The presence of David Tennant between my knees — in the shape of a commemorative name plate on the seat in front — supplied a powerful reminder as I sat of Stratford’s last Prince of Denmark. With elements of comedy featuring in Tennant’s interpretation of this gigantic role, his was a very different Hamlet from the angry and tormented figure presented in an overdue date with the part by Jonathan Slinger.

Slinger is an actor who does doolally very well, as he demonstrated six years ago in a reputation-making RSC performance as Richard III and more recently as Macbeth (not to mention his simultaneous turn as the demented Lenny in Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming).

Bespectacled and bookish though he appears from the outside — a look shared with his close pal and confidant Horatio (Alex Waldmann) — he later proves truly the nutter others say he is. Leading the accusers in this area is his usurping uncle Claudius, who is given a beautifully spoken performance by Greg Hicks.

Mr Hicks doubles as the ghost of the murdered King Hamlet, a role he also took at Stratford nine years ago. On that occasion, he first appeared crossing a platform through the auditorium, pulling a huge sword behind him. This time, traversing roughly the same route in the refigured theatre, he sports a rapier and fencing mask, the conceit of David Farr’s modern dress production being that it is set in a fencing club.

Given that this is a play that features much swordplay, and that swords are hardly the weapon of choice for most these days, this seems a reasonable way to justify their use by the sharp-suited courtiers.

It does not do, however, to ponder too long on the question of why a fencing club can be deemed to stand in for the state of Denmark.

Better to enjoy what the production features by way of considerable dramatic momentum, and some fine performances. Besides that of Mr Slinger — always hugely watchable in his work here, and masterly this time in his exploration of the nuances of the text — these include those of Pippa Nixon (pictured left) as his girlfriend Ophelia, and Robin Soans and Luke Norris as her father Polonius and brother Laertes. That Hamlet and Ophelia’s has been a passionate sexual relationship is evident in their first snatched snog. Later, it is hard to watch her harsh mistreatment at his hands.

 

Hamlet
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford
Until September 28
0844 800 1110