Hamlet: An Evening of Theatre

Live theatre is back again! On Saturday the 23rd of April some of the English and Drama students took a trip to the Artscape to see one of Shakespeare’s greatest works – Hamlet. Coincidentally it occurred on the playwright’s 458th birthday.

I think many people would agree when I say that the outing was a great experience. The play had a three hour run time and not one moment was boring. Hamlet is a revenge tragedy and this particular showing of it was based on an old story where the crew aboard a ship were tasked with the challenge of performing Hamlet to keep them out of trouble. This was the first recorded performance of a piece by Shakespeare being performed outside of Europe, and it happened just off the coast of South Africa. Being on a ship was reflected in different ways in the play, such as in the costumes and the set. For example, the queen’s outfit was made out of canvas and rope. The stage was also surrounded by a pool of water to give the idea that they were sailing the open seas. This was very nice to see because it was something different. 

Traditionally, Shakespeare’s plays were played by an all-male cast which was honoured on Saturday’s performance. This showed the incredible versatility of the actors. The acting was amazing, especially Hamlet’s soliloquies, and it made up for the fact that the language wasn’t that easy to understand.

I know that everyone had a great time and is looking forward to the next theatre outing.