As the lights go down for the show to begin we hear a the sound of a plane thundering overhead, and are immediately thrust into the dark and sinister environment of this Hamlet adaptation. Set in a modern police-state Denmark, with surveillance cameras and guards with earpieces covering the stage, it is immediately apparent that no action the characters engage in will go unnoticed; everyone is being watched.
The set is quite minimal, but effectively compliments the modernistic and foreboding aesthetic. Simple and unaffected white panels are revolved around to create the different rooms of the palace, and also allow for shadows to be reflected on them to enhance the ghost-like ambience. The stately wooden desks, men dressed in black suits, and portraits on the walls lend a feeling of being in the White House. A weak point is the loud, techno soundtrack that accompanies the scene changes. It seems disunited from the rest of the subtle production elements, and is somewhat jarring. Overall, however, the modernistic setting was successful by comfortably placing us in the context director Nicholas Hytner envisioned without covering up the acting and storyline,
The acting overall is superb, and Rory Kinnear's portrayal Hamlet is truly the high point of production. Reciting each line with nuance and extraordinary expression, he superbly displays how Shakespeare's words from the 16th century are just as brilliant today, and can be effectively intertwined with a contemporary realization of the play. Patrick Malahide's stoic and stony rendering of Claudius is also very effective.
While the production is a bit lengthy, approaching nearly 4 hours, I felt that it successfully conveyed a modern controlled, military sensibility, and brought Shakespeare's timeless story and words into our 21st century world.
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