Last Thursday, I saw Hamlet, my first Shakespeare stage play. Guess what? I didn’t fall asleep, YAY! Since it’s my first time to even hear Hamlet’s verses, I did not know what to expect off it. I did not even have the slightest clue that this was a tragedy. What I do know is I’m too old to still not know anything about it so one invite from Lorna Lopez of thebachelorgirl and I’m off to Onstage in Greenbelt 1 on a weeknight after work.
Hamlet, per Gibbs Cadiz, could take 4 long hours if delivered in its entirety. That’s a whole lot of lines to memorize for poor Hamlet who I think does about 70% of the play’s air time. Repertory Philipipnes’ Hamlet is about 2 hours, plus-minus, long.
Knowing little to nothing about Hamlet, I have resorted to reading stuff about the play and its interpretations from the 17th century to the present. In summary:
Of the many ways possible to render Hamlet, Director Ana Abad Santos-Bitong opted for something that is neither of this time nor plane. It is refreshing to see that stripping the set, props, and costumes down to get the minimalist and desolate vibe still felt edgy but raw in a good way.
Remember Cris Villonco? She plays Ophelia. Niccolo “Nic” Manahan does Hamlet. Usually, I’d hear Shakespeare’s words and go ho-hum because I’ll seldom understand what it means the first try. For actors to be effective, at least for me to understand the story they would wish to put across through their prose, they would have to improvise using body movements, gestures, and facial expressions. The way the Nic delivered his lines was so fresh, I can actually picture his prose-speaking character co-mingling with us now in this 21st century. I mean, he speaks in prose but he says his lines fast enough so it doesn’t sound boring and ancient (words fail me at this time but I hope you get what I mean). Lorna said Nic studied his character and lines well and he commanded how he’d act for specific scenes himself and, unsurprisingly, he delivered. That’s a plus 1 in my list of talented actors to admire locally.
If you want to at least see a Shakespeare play in this lifetime and want something that won’t bore you out of your wits, then this show is for you. I’m not Shakespeare savvy but I totally dug this shiz.
The very talented cast of Hamlet
You can still catch Hamlet at Onstage Greenbelt 1 until February 17, 2008. Show details are as follows:
February 1-17, 2008
8:00 PM on Fridays & Saturday
3:30 PM on Saturdays & Sundays
Venue
OnStage
2/F Greenbelt 1, Ayala Center, Makati City
Tickets
Orchestra Center – P 550.00
Orchestra Side – P 350.00
Balcony – P 250.00
Website
Head over to the Repertory Philippines site for more info about this and upcoming shows through here.
Here are more interesting reads from folks who have something to say about Hamlet:
- Repertory Philippines’ futuristic ‘Hamlet’ by Gibbs Cadiz
- Repertory Philippines Hamlet Marks Directorial Debut by Lorna Lopez
- Hamlet (I Don’t Have an Imaginative Title. Whatev) by Ade Magnaye
- My Hamlet-inspired story “Mutt, Me, and Hamlet“
- Repertory Philippines’ Hamlet by Lauren Dado
- Welcome, initiates! by Gibbs Cadiz
- Rogue, road warrior, peasant slave from the Philippine Daily Inquirer by Gibbs Cadiz
- Repertory Philippines Hamlet Reviews by Lorna Lopez
- Repertory Philippines Hamlet Video Interviews from Lorna Lopez’s site
- Viewer Reviews On Repertory Philippines’ HAMLET from the Repertory Philippines site
Twitter Updates
6 February 2008 at 7:59 pm
am watching it this weekend. my expectations are pretty high and you just gave me some hope. :)
7 February 2008 at 9:46 am
how exciting. I was surprised Lauren didn’t know a single Shakespeare play. I told her we studied Shakespeare plays in second year high school. I have yet to see a play thoug. I would have wanted period clothes though. I am gonna drag my husband to watch it.
7 February 2008 at 8:30 pm
ei fritz, nice meeting you! napadaan…
8 February 2008 at 10:06 am
So you are watching with Butch? That’s so cool of you guys. Best seats, I’ve heard are those int he 6th or 7th row center XD
8 February 2008 at 10:06 am
Nice meeting you man.
8 February 2008 at 2:41 pm
i used to work a lot with nick in college theater. :) i directed the The Bald Soprano and he played Mr. Smith. Or wait. Mr. Martin. I forgets na. :P
8 February 2008 at 3:45 pm
*Wait lang, may starstruck moment ako. One minute lang to.* Ohai thar renaissance man, sup?
8 February 2008 at 3:48 pm
left-aisle (facing the stage) of center row is also a good place. You will know why when the show starts.
9 February 2008 at 9:04 am
the hamlet poster looks nice… looks like a final fantasy poster..really nice.
daks sent us a link of ur page and hes buggin us to watch the play with him.. kidding…
btw nice site.. :D