| Mel Gibson and Zefferelli 1990 | -Plays unique version of Hamlet, very physical and more like vindicate than typical portrayal -To be or not to be soliloquy played in fathers crypt-nunnery scene, played very obviously using camera angles to illustrate that Claudius and Polonius are watching. Hamlet seems aware of this. Suggests real relationship -madness scene, Ophelia accusatory towards Gertrude, her madness is directed at her directly. This supports Elliot’s view that Gertrude’s grief is to blame-Hamlet dies next to mother, a touching symbol of the mother/son rekindling their relationship after STICHOMYTHIA in closet scene |
| Lawrence Olivier 1948 | Nunnery scene- Gertrude character is cast as 20, Olivier was in his 40s. Oedipal tensions are off the scale! Similarly, no remorse after killing polonius, does not pause for thought |
| RSC 2009 | OPHELIA’S MADNESS, transformation from childlike ingenue to adult, sexualised figure. Reflected in costume change. -Driven mad by loss of father figure, frantic clawing at Claudius-Use of mirrors and CCTV, mirrors become broken-Mariah Gale rehearsed separately to other actors, to add to uncertainty and fearHAMLET, muscle t shirt, tries to play role he is notappreciation of actors, crouching during players sceneCloset scene, oedipal complex present but not as strong as olivier’s. Doran plays in bedroom, once again with mirrors. -Hamlet is regretful of Polonius’ death-Use of CCTV in first scenes, ghost is not pictured-Hamlet seems genuinely upset in the nunnery scene |
| Kenneth Branagh | -Ophelia’s discussion with Polonius Act 2, scene 2. Played in confession box. -Very obvious sexual relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia, pictured in bed together and very physical and emotional during the nunnery scene. Repeatedly kisses.-Blames polonius for Hamlet’s rejection of her-Branagh also uses mirrors -Black an white contrasts, royal colours (Elizabeth) symbolises Hamlet’s anagnorisis in Act 3-Meta textual themes very strong, portrays Kenneth moving puppets in a theatre, branagh directed play as well. -Ophelia actually portrayed in a straight jacket, (Pre raphelite women in institutions were known as Ophelias) showered down in white walled cell |
| Sarah Bernhardt 1899 | Played Hamlet as a woman for the first time. Was actually filmed fencing, as had experience from childhood |
| Daniel Day Lewis 1989 | Refused to continue after stating that he began to lose his sanity, had a nervous breakdown after ‘seeing’ his father. The grief overcame him in an interesting turn of events life imitated art. |
| Maxine Peake 2014/2015 | -Saw a swap in gender roles, no fortinbras either so political tone is lost-Use of light bulbs to imitate supernatural, ghost is never seen, illustrates blurs between reality and illusions-Similarly uses a camera directly above stage, heaven is judging, are we old Hamlet looking down on his sons revenge? -Ophelia’s grave is a jumble of clothes, highlighting the modern interpretation and the influence of commercialism and consumerism |
| Edmund Kean 1814 + 1833 | Portrayed a romantic version of Hamlet, removing much of the blank verse and replacing it with prose. This showed Hamlet as rational, intellectual and saneHe also took a more sensitive and tender role with Ophelia |
| 2011 Hamlet | Ophelia is portrayed as being trapped under a net, mad and unable to relate to the social situation in which she finds herselfCritics have pointed to the close links between the earlier use of predatory language |
| 2003 Birmingham International festival | Ophelia was portrayed in a sense of emotional derangement, sexually obsessed and appeared to be in a drunken state |
| Colin Keith-Johnston’s portrayal of Hamlet, 1925 | un-poetic and naturalistic→appealed to the mood of post-war disillusionment among the young |
| Peter Hall’s production(1965) politically | Rebel like spirit of ’60s, H as counter culture. Criticised conservative establishment |
| Peter Hall presentation of ghost | giant, helmeted 10 ft shadow. When Hamlet says ‘this was a man’ to Horatio, we see the other side to the Oedipus complex: less jealous of C than of his father’s stature. Ghost’s voice=hollow, beneath the stage |
| “Hamlet is the real villain” | Samuel West, acted as Hamlet in 2001 RSC production. Claudius presented as humane, witty and generous. |
| Post Stalin production in which Claudius’ speech is read to the people, not by him | Grigori Kozintsev (1964) |
| How does it echo Stalin’s rule? | Showing Denmark to be a prison. Hamlet only leaves at the end, mortally wounded to die by the crashing waves of the sea, image of freedom throughout play. Huge statues of Claudius |
| Laurence Olivier’s 1948 production | Gertrude’s chamber- vaginal shaped canopy Tracking of camera often returns to shot of back of Olivier’s head→show exploration of Hamlet’s thoughts. Gertrude suspects poison in the wine, drinks anyway out of defiance vs. Claudius. |
| Kenneth Branagh (1996) | Ideas of blurred lines between public and private life (biggest e.g.= Ophelia: secret lover of H→betrayed partner and daughter→very public psychological breakdown- conjures images of Diana)⇒royal family becomes a symbol for the fate of the family unit in society. |
| Branagh setting | Blenheim Palace |
| How does he present OH as a tyrant? | Tearing down of his statues echoes that of the end of Cold War in Soviet Republics |
| 1980 Richard Eyre | Hamlet is possessed by the ghost |
| Bradley on why Hamlet procrastinates | ” a moral repulsion to the deed” of killing Claudius |
| David Garrick, the predominant actor-manager of the eighteenth century | His ‘Hamlet’ was v focused on Hamlet as a dutiful son to his father’s/ghost’s wishes |
| Edmund Kean as Hamlet | Hamlet the lover: eager love rather than terror on meeting the Ghost and his love for Ophelia remained evident even though he was forced to reject her |
| Gabrielle Dane, 2013 | “Ophelia is an asset to Polonius, a commodity to be disposed of” |
| BBC 2009 <> | “This is Hamlet of quick silver intelligence, mimetic vigour and wild humour”-This production centres around surveillance as it has CCTV cameras to reinforce the unsettling idea that “Denmark’s a prison” and you are being watched. |
| Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet 1996 | Ophelia wears a straight jacket in a padded room: literal imaged of madness. |
| Hamlet at the Almeida Theatre | “Ophelia wheeled out in a wheel chair looking deathly ill” |
| Trevor Nunn (1970) – O | Ophelia and Laertes as a flirtatious double |
| Branagh (1996) – O | Shows a flashback of Hamlet and Ophelia in bed |
| Gregory Doran – RSC (2009) – O | Ophelia strips to underwear in mad scene, raging and frenetic |
| Romantic performances – ophelia | Showalter – ‘picturesque madness’ – virginal white |
| Tony Richardson (1969) – G | Animalistic behaviour, unattractive Gertrude and Claudius feast with their dogs on greasy chicken and wine |
| Gregory Doran (2009) – G | Gertrude speaks to cracked mirror – duality + broken identity |
| Zefferelli (1990) – ghost | Vulnerable human, sitting down, communication between Hamlet and father |
| Matthew Warchus (1997) – ghost | Hamlet holds father’s ashes while Claudius’ tribute to his brother plays over speakers |
| Lysndsey Turner (2015) | ‘Intergenerational trauma’ – deaths of younger generation are necessary to purify corrupt Denmark |
| Ronald Daniels 1984 – Claudius | Bombastic Claudius – represents change in Elsinore |
| David Garrick (1763) | Focus on the family and filial emotions |
| Grigori Kozintsev (1964) | Elsinore in the light of Stalin’s prison camps – Hamlet depicted as heroic in his resistance to oppression |
| Hansgunther Heyme (1979) | Explores the boundaries between illusion and reality – Hamlet represented by two actors, one in auditorium and one on stage, a prisoner of his coarse sexual fantasies |
| Ronald Daniels 1984 | Contrast between old court represented by Gertrude and Hamlet and new loutish court characterised by Brian Blessed’s bombastic Claudius |
| H. K. Ayliff (1925) | Ophelia’s sexually explosive mad scenes were the result of suppression of her natural desires and wishes by men |
| Robert Icke (2017) – ophelia | Rigid limbed in a wheelchair |
| Robert Icke (2017) – gertrude and claudius | in love |
| Grigori Kozintsev (1964) – gertrude | self-satisfied woman with strong appetites – gazes into hand mirror |
| Richard Burton (1964) – polonius | comic |
| Gregory Doran (2009) and Maxine peake (2014) productions | same actor plays Claudius and Old Hamlet ghost |
| Zeffirelli | opens with shots of old King’s funeral, followed by Gertrude and Claudius, signifying quick transition |
| Zeffirelli | shots of Hamlet in background whilst Ophelia, Polonius and Laertes talk – he overhears everything they say about him [someone is always watching] |
| Zeffirelli | Glenn Close’s Gertrude is like an immature child |
| RSC David Tennant 1 | Yorrick’s skull from a real man – memories embedded are actually there, and even more meaningful |
| RSC David Tennant 2 | shot in style of surveillance cameras – every move is being recorded and watched |
| RSC David Tennant | people watch Hamlet through double-sided mirror – appearances (reflection) vs. reality |
| Michael Almereyda’s New York City Hamlet 1 | “to be or not to be” set in ‘action’ section of video store – ironic |
| Michael Almereyda’s New York City Hamlet 2 | Gertrude knows the chalice is poisoned and drinks it so Hamlet doesn’t have to – she sacrifices herself for her son, becomes less impotent |
| Michael Almereyda’s New York City Hamlet 3 | Ophelia has many scenes with water before her death – she waits for Hamlet by the fountain which she eventually drowns herself in |
| Michael Almereyda’s New York City Hamlet 4 | family in a business setting – corruption increased, shows Claudius to be greedy and driven by money and power in businesslike way |
| Bennett 1 | Gertrude consciously murders king Hamlet. Asks to be called Gertrude not mum. |
| Bennett 2 | No inclusion of Ophelia suggesting she is non-essential |
| Bennett3 | Claudius wears old Hamlet’s clothes and has no remorse about murder. |
| Bennett4 | Polonius is involved in the murder plan and assists Gertrude and Claudius |
| Bennett5 | Hamlet never takes revenge on Claudius instead they all die by chance. |
| Globe1 | Hamlet’s costume is like that of a bishop, suggesting his moral superiority. When contemplating his father he looks up to the sky suggesting heaven. |
| Globe | Polonius is absolutely comedic with a prosodically funny diction. Polonius is bald and with glasses to show he is an old fool. Polonius even breaks the 4th wall in ‘What was I about to say?’ |
| Olivier | Hamlet behaves like a lover in the closet scene and sword is used as phallic imagery. |
| Olivier2 | Gertrude’s bed is luxurious and canopied suggesting the importance of her sexual appetite |
| Cumberbatch | Hamlet portrayed wearing child’s soldier costume in his madness to show ‘regression’. Hamlet also wears a jacket which says ‘king’ on the back suggesting his protest. |
| Cumberbatch2 | Ophelia portrayed with a box of photos and with her hair falling out |
| Cumberbatch3 | In the second half of the play the stage becomes a pile of ashes suggesting the state of Claudius’ reign. |
| Cumberbatch4 | The court wear royal, jewelled, Baroque clothes while Hamlet wears modern, inexcessive clothes |
| Branagh | Polonius is sinister in his ruthlessness, no humour |
| Bernhardt | Hamlet’s focus on thinking is seen as a sign of feminity so in 19th century productions he was often played by females. |
| Tenant | Hamlet is dishevelled and wears crown suggesting wanting to overthrow the king. |
| Eyre | Presented as mad as ghost is not present and no one sees ghost except Hamlet |
Stolen Quizlets about hamlet productions – organise
September 8, 2019