Adam Clifford as Polonius and Simeon Desvignes as Hamlet in Hamlet for younger audiences at the National Theatre 2023. Photo: Harry Elletson

Although it’s my job to tell you my reactions to this 65-minute Hamlet (see below), the truth is that is really doesn’t  matter what I thought. The important thing is that it engaged hundreds of Key Stage 2 and 3 schoolchildren at the performance I saw – they oohed, aahed, gasped, listened attentively, joined in when asked to and sighed sadly at the end. And that’s a moving and encouraging thing to be present at. I’m sure the cast were delighted too.

This is a revival, now directed by Ellie Hurt, of Tinuke Craig’s 2022 production which I saw and reviewed last year. And there’s a lot about it to admire. The story telling is as clear as it could possibly be and the framing device is neat – starting with the cast of eight at Old Hamlet’s funeral singing a lament and ending with a similar scene with everyone with white nets over their heads singing mournfully at the end.

There’s a lot of Shakespeare’s text, spoken intelligently and pared down for accessibility seamlessly interspersed with inserts. I liked the idea of the initial funeral wake morphing into a riotous wedding party which is then dispersed to accommodate Hamlet (Simeon Desvignes – pleasing work) with “How weary, stale” to establish his inner turmoil. The antic disposition is made very clear as pretence and the presentation of the Murder of Gonzago is simple but ingenious. I like the idea of dressing Claudius and Gertrude in matching emerald green to make them stand out. And Annabelle Terry as Laertes is totally convincing – love between sisters works well here.

There are some imaginative scenic devices too. Hamlet with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sit on a blue tarpaulin, rowing and singing a muscular sea shanty. The same tarp, a few moments later is the river Ophelia drowns in and then her grave.

On the other hand, I think there is too much popularising in this production. Characters dance, make comedy and there are several passages of quite loud modern melody. It’s certainly entertaining but in places it goes against the grain of the play. Nonetheless this is supposed to an introduction to Shakespeare and I’m certainly in favour of anything which grabs a young audience as clearly as this does.

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  Photos: Harry Elletson

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• First published by Sardines https://www.sardinesmagazine.co.uk/review/hamlet-8/