It's only a few short months since I last saw a production of Hamlet at the Playhouse, but I found myself at another last weekend - a ballet version no less. I saw this in my new capacity as a front of house volunteer at the theatre, which means in return for standing around for a bit showing people to their seats at the beginning and during the interval, I get to sit and watch a play for free!
I'm sure the dancing was excellent, and there were some genuinely exciting bits. However...
but...
I didn't hate the show, but as my last trip to the ballet taught me, I'm not a fan. I like words. And I know Hamlet - this was a very strange version. It was set in Nazi occupied France rather than Denmark - I only worked this out at the end when Fortinbrass liberated the country as the beginning 20 mins was a confusing mess. At least it was to someone who knows the play and didn't recognise what was going on or who was who. I also don't remember Ophelia getting gang-raped and then murdered in the play... I'm all for new interpretations of Shakespeare but being a ballet was new enough without causing more confusion by playing with key elements of the story.
briefly...
Probably great if you like ballet. I don't. I enjoyed it more because I didn't have to pay to see it. Ballet really is just posh mime.
No comments:
Post a Comment