Believe it or not, there are people who aren’t sure if they like Shakespeare. This new production – boasting exceptional clarity – goes a long way to help them out. For his debut as deputy artistic director at the National, Robert Hastie makes Shakespeare action packed and accessible. Strong performances, with a lot of direct addresses, make every effort to bring the audience close to the performance.
Taking the title role, Hiran Abeysekera leads the way. This is a nimble Hamlet, clearly clever and confident enough in his intelligence to show when he doesn’t know something. But he’s still the philosopher prince. He wants to discuss with us, to share confusion about parts of the play that puzzle him (and, of course, us). This isn’t always subtle – eyes roll and make contact with the crowd rather a lot. But it does make this one of the most likeable Hamlets I can remember.
Indeed, most of the characters are more appealing than usual. Polonius (Geoffrey Streatfeild) isn’t quite the old bore we are used to – his kids joke with him and their warm family dynamic is a nice contrast with the rotten royals. Francesca Mills has a fine time as Ophelia, bringing fun and energy to her early scenes. The chemistry between the siblings is strong and Tom Glenister’s Laertes comes close to heroic (he literally has a hand in killing the King). Joe Bolland and Hari Mackinnon play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as foppish public schoolboys… you might even feel sorry for them. Getrude’s change of heart is as rapid as her remarriage and Ayesha Dharker in the role also adds to how easy the whole production is to follow. Even Alistair Petrie’s Claudius, the clear villain of the piece, is more remorseful than usual and it’s hard to shake the impression that he’d be quite a good king.
The question will be asked – is Shakespeare being dumbed down? I don’t think so. It is true that there are few startling revelations and departures for those that know the play. But the edits are judicious and, with the exception of the music, there’s nothing silly or salacious here. Hastie has clear ideas that are executed well, with a wish to entertain his audience. There are no gimmicks – itself, a novelty – just a lot of good work.
Until 22 November 2025
Photos Sam Taylor
