NIGHTLIFE MAGAZINE Review 5/24/10 
“I
Am Hamlet”
Adapted by Joe Siracuso
Music by Brian Morey
At The Manny Fried Playhouse
Review
by Willy Rogue Donaldson
A
Castle in Denmark, a Ghost on the ramparts, the watch guard spooked, Prince
Hamlet informed, the Ghost of his Father has been seen! Hamlet
attends the midnight watch, he is visited and charged by his Father the King
to avenge his murder!
Thus begins Shakespeare's most famous play in
the world, each time you see it, you see more, hear more, learn more.
It’s a play where repetition builds its reputation, always go, even to
tawdry productions.
But
don’t miss the solid gold ones! Such as this one put on at The Manny
Fried Playhouse (Subversive Theatre home) in the old Pierce Arrow plant.
If you haven’t found your way to this theater, now is the time to do so,
it’s in an interesting building with lots of parking.
This is a two man shoestring production that presents
the whole of Hamlet in an exciting, distilled essence format. Think
Grand Marnier. One Astounding Actor: Brian Morey does all the
characters, with fierce warrior spirit, with distracted wonderment, with surly
conniving schemes, with logical testing, with feminine softness, with aging
foolishness, finished with the furious action of the sword.
And with great and appropriate eloquence. First
you have to hear the words, then they have to work into you, clarity begins
the play, heart burnishes it. Brian Morey does it all, many lines come
out of his mouth as thoughts beginning, they change as he thinks the idea
through.
The text has been adapted by Director Joe Siracuso,
who maintains most of the text but adapts it for one actor. And adds
sound, light, puppets, song, movement, skulls, throne, masks, other ingenious
props. Siracuso has his own take on the play, it is an action adventure,
the “To Be” speech is a deliberate ploy by Hamlet to deceive those he
knows are spying on him. He doesn’t buy Hamlet as the 20th Century
neurotic, the quavering young man trying to sort out some courage, he sees him
as a brave but thoughtful man who will avenge, but first seeks to find his
father’s accusations confirmed by the accused. Hamlet needs to know
that the Ghost was sent by Heaven and not by Hell, for either could have
employed a spirit to their own ends.
And the play has songs in it, rock songs, smooth
songs. Composed by Brian Morey the musician, this is how Siracuso the
Producer ensnared Morey the actor to play
Hamlet. O you just speak some text and then you get to sing the songs
you compose just for the play.
There are only five, but they stand out, one a
musical masterpiece. “Beautiful Ophelia”
is a wonderful song, and fortunately it is repeated.
However, I thought the songs were an
interruption to the play. The text moves along much faster, even when it
eddies in unexpected places. The songs have repeated phrases, embellish
the emotions perhaps, but are not appropriate either to the sweep or the
gritty texture of the play.
My companion at this play, Miss Reindeer, disagreed
with me. She thought the songs were quite a pleasing addition to the
play. They gave her a chance to catch her breath, to relax for a minute,
and to view the play as a contemporary event.
She went a little further.. “I don’t think you
give the death of poor Ophelia sufficient weight. You dismiss her as
just a bit of romance that might confuse Hamlet in his purpose, but really
she’s very important, and her death changes everything. You could even
say the play is about Ophelia, not Hamlet.
I said that’s going a bit far off the track, she
said I have no imagination, I said the title of the play is “Hamlet”, she
said you never really listen to me anyway, I said of course I do and I think
there could perhaps be a play written about Ophelia, but this play is about
Hamlet. She said well, for the literal minded perhaps, and that she
wasn’t going to do the guppy for me tonight. I said What!?! What
has that to do with… /never mind, she said, I just think you have been
very dismissive of poor Ophelia, and you men are all alike. I said
please, please, I think Ophelia is delightful, where would Hamlet be if he had
never met her, he probably wouldn’t have the depth of character he probably
gained from knowing her. Well, you are catching on a bit, Miss Reindeer
said. Take me out for a nice piece of steak, and we’ll see about the
guppy. Those songs were lovely.
The Ghost returns to the play, as you should
too. He reminds Hamlet of the primary mission and that he is not to
disturb his mother, the Queen. Hamlet leaves her bedroom, taking Polonius
with him. Time for a vacation in England, King Claudius thinks.
Time for the steakhouse for Miss Reindeer and
the abashed critic. Do enjoy the play, and let me know what you think of
the songs. The “Alas poor Yorrick, I knew him well Horatio”
line has been reinstated. Much applause.
Review by Willy Rogue Donaldson
Copyright 2010 all rights reserved
Except first printing in Night-Life Magazine in May 2010
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