Bedlam’s ‘Hamlet’: 49 Divided by Four Does Add Up

By JOHN HARLOW | Editor-in-Chief

There are have not only been a thousand great performances of “Hamlet” and a thousand books asking questions such as, “Is the Great Dane mad? Or faking it? And if so, why? Or, why not?” but also a thousand texts warning against critiquing it in trivial or brief fashion.

Having accepted that, here it goes.

New York’s Bedlam company arrived at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica with a reputation for economy and promptly proved it by casting four actors to play 49 roles across three hours.

There were times when the character switches were so fast, glasses on and off again, it edged on farce. As did one or two of the regional British-ish accents, needed to distinguish between the spinning array of characters.

But, for the most part, we kept up.

“Hamlet” is better known for savage dour wit than belly-slapping uproar, before it all ends badly—contemporary tabloid headline: “Death Count Mounts in Royal Revenge Massacre”—but there were times this production scrambled off toward “Hamlet the Musical.” And, for many, was better for all that.

There were moments, such as an early scene where Hamlet’s murderous uncle Claudio appears to be channeling Jack Black, when it was even fun.

But “Hamlet” is probably the greatest work of poetic tragedy in the English language, and actors bold enough to take it on know they must reshape the verse to work their vision.

There is just so much text—30,000 words, or two issues of the Palisadian-Post, clearly a modest comparison—to get through in three hours.

Which may explain, but not forgive, why this production was a little gabbled and unclear in the first act. Which is odd, as Bedlam has been touring this exhausting exhilarating production, teamed with George Bernard Shaw’s St. Joan, for months.

And then, with some sweat, they found their pacing and the verse came through.

“Hamlet” is endlessly malleable: Mark Rylance may be better known today for his Spielberg movies and Shakespeare conspiracy theories, but back in 1989, his moody malice as the Prince of Elsinore chilled, while a more recent incarnation by Jude Law superheated the air into a regal holocaust. Lord knows what Janet McTeer will bring to the role on Broadway later this year.

This “Hamlet,” however, more resembled the 2008 stage vision, starring David Tennant, the Scottish actor best known for “Dr. Who” and “Broadchurch.”

Lead Aubie Merrylees, who even looked a bit like Tennant, has the luxury of nearly only playing the Dane, leaving his three compatriots, Sam Massaro, Aundria Brown (switching between Gertrude and Ophelia with dizzying grace) and Kahili Garcia, to divide up the rest of the world.

He has power of language and showed it by taking command of the stage, slowing everything down and holding the moments that strike home. There was a quicksilver intelligence and lean anger, as well as a palpable sense of loss and confusion that drives this “Hamlet.”

This was a bold challenge, not to fall back to a “reduced Shakespeare” to reflect the numbers, and yet the audience left having been challenged, amused, numbed, scared and, ultimately, elevated.

This “Hamlet” proved, once again, that the play is the thing.

And a final farewell note for Calder Quartet, who play the last date in their Beethoven cycle at The Broad Stage on April 29.

The full concert program is Mozart: “String Quintet in G minor, K.516” (with Paul Neubauer, viola), Beethoven: “String Quartet No. 13, Op. 130” and Beethoven: “String Quartet No. 13, Op. 130” (finale).