April 5,1995
8
Campus Extras
Shakespeare Express' Hamlet does not meet expectations
The audience in Meredith College’s
Jones Auditorium Friday night, March
24 was first greeted by the Shenandoah
Shakespeare Express with a commer
cial plug for the group’s t-shirt and a
funny plot-summarizing song. These
were humorous jingles that set the
tone of the evening to be light, but
Hamlet is a dark tragedy which they
were about to perform. But from the
onset the audience was expecting it to
be a more creative and possibly a hu
morous Hamlet, or at least 1 was ex
pecting it to be. Last year, I saw the
group perform A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, and I was extremely impressed
with their creativity and humdr. The
group is young and energetic and gives
off that feel —one that does not coinside
with a tragedy.
Hamlet is the story of a son who
seeks to avenge his fether’s murder. It
is a story of betrayal and death—a story
Julia Rathbone
Play Review
in which incorporation of humor
would not be easy or appropriate, just
perhaps expected because of the repu-
tationofthe group. However, thegroup
gives the play its due respect by per
forming it in a serious and dramatic
tone.
The group had its usual other char
acteristics. The lighting was done in a
true Shakespearean way, along with
the length, doubling, costuming, and
music. The lights were left on through
out the play just as if you were watch
ing the show outside in Globe theatre.
The actors can see the aydience just as
the audience can see them. Actors
played more than one role and did not
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stick only to roles of their own sex.
The music and sound effects were
simple instruments played backstage.
All these aspects typical of the Globe
are explained on the programs, which
were very informative. Also explained
on the program is the length. Their
production of Hamlet ran 2 hours and
15 minutes without an intermission. It
was a lengthy sitting, but again typical
of Shakespearean plays. The costum
ing was simple and modern and in
symbolic color. Thadd McQuade, of
course, primarily wore black to por
tray Hamlet. Philip Lortie, as Claudius,
was adorned in the royal colors of
purple and gold accents. Michelle Pow
ers, not suprisingly, wore a barely pink,
long and loose dress as Ophelia. The
costume which I found to be the most
effective was Hap Jamieson’s attire as
Gertrude. She wore a long, straight,
black skirt and a nuroon, fitted velour
shirt with a cross necklace. The differ
ent coloring of the shirt, along with
her tall, thin stature, seemed to give
her power. She seemed vibrant and
affectionate towards her new husband
Claudius.
The group made effective use of
time and space. Scene changes were
simply done by actors walking on and
off stage. Yet there seemed to be no
breaks; the dialogue continued. The
backdrop remained the same—a pur
plish cloth, so the play flowed well.
Also, the group made effective use of
space. Again as in the Globe, the audi
ence continued around to the sides of
the actors. Some audience members
had seats on the sides of the stage,
level with the actors. This seemed to
make the actors more personal. They
also came out into the audience and
randomly shook hands. They did not
always use traditional stage exits. They
extended the stage from the actual
stage to the floor below and even into
the isles. This use of time and space
was one of the more enjoyable aspects
of the play.
As for the actors, they were all
talented and did not perform any obvi
ous or annoying theatre faux pas. The
actors who doubled were jgood at step
ping in and out of roles. For example,
Tricia Kelly played Bernardo and
Rosencrantz. As Bernardo, she came
across as militaristic and serious. She
even had a deeper voice. As
Rosencrantz, she matched Matthew
Mclver, who portrayed Guildenstem,
quite well in costume and humor. Paul
Riopelle, who played Polonius, also
struck me as very entertaining, espe
cially in the scene where he is reading
the letter to his daughter. He is short in
stature, but not in talent. He made
effective use of the audience on stage.
He reads the letter directing to them,
also. He is all over the stage and off.
And, of course, I must mention Thadd
McQuade, who played a touching and
admirable Hamlet, he delivered the
“To Be” speech beautifully sitting on
the front of the stage with his legs
hanging over the edge. Michelle Pow
ers was a less dramatic, but feeling
Ophelia. She used her hand and arm
gestures very effectively.
It is also important to note how
they did the scene with Polonius over
hearing Ophelia and Hamlet. Paul
Riopelle hides behind the backdrop
and reveals himself after Thadd
McQuade exits. McQuade delivered
his lines as if Hamlet knew Polonius
was in the room. McQuade walks
around the stage as if he is looking for
him He asks Michelle Powers, Ophelia,
where her father is, and she reaas and
answers nervously. McQuade exits
through the back door of the audito
rium and them Riopelle comes out
from behind the curtain.
Overall, the Shenandoah Express
did an acceptable performance of Ham
let. The Shakespearean lighting, dou
bling, length, and music were appro
priate but did not enhance the play.
The quick scene changes made the
play flow well, but it is still hard to sit
through a 2 hours and 15 minutes
production. I was most impressed with
the use of space and the talented ac
tors. 'The production was good, but
perhaps did not meet the reputation of
the group. In my opinion, the
Shenandoah Shakespeare Express in
incredible, but they are more appro
priate for comedies.