Last updated: 29 July 2023
From the Roaming Required Archives. Here’s a flashback to 2016 when we visited the Rose Playhouse in Bankside London to watch Diana Vucane’s production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
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The Rose Playhouse
To put it simply, the venue was amazing!
The Rose theatre, built in 1587, was Bankside’s first theatre and fifth overall in London. Over time the success of the The Rose encouraged other theatres to be built; most notably The Swan in 1595 and The Globe in 1599. It wasn’t long until the new theatres overtook The Rose and by 1603 it fell out of use and was pretty much discontinued by 1606 and soon became a distant memory. Rediscovered in 1989, it is now considered one of the most well-preserved theatres in the UK.
There’s something magical about sitting in a 400 year old theatre watching a production of Hamlet, you feel connected to the theatre’s history and tradition.
Hamlet: Setting the Stage
From the moment we walked into the Rose Playhouse after collecting our tickets I was surprised by just how small the venue was, it was tiny compared to other theatres.
The entire performance area including audience seating measured about 8m x 3m, the very definition of an intimate experience. It didn’t matter where you sat, all seats were going to give you a great view of the performance. It was only when we sat down that I realised just how close we were going to be to the performance, I could have reached out and touched the actors. I didn’t though, not after last time…
As the lights went down and the players took their marks, we were very excited and because of the venue, it felt like we had our very own private performance. Simply amazing.
The performance area also serves as a viewing platform overlooking the partially excavated historical site where ruins remain hidden under a layer of sand and water. The excavation site was incorporated into the production and used to stage various sections of the play, thus creating an extra dimension to the atmosphere.
As the stage was relatively small and the audience so close, there were a limited number of props used during the play. The essential props were all there- a throne, Polonias’ curtain, rapiers, and a bell, but everything else was brought to life by the actors. With a lack of props and a focus on character portrayal, it’s vital that you have some top talent in the main roles.
The Hamlet Cast
The production consisted of 7 actors, playing the main roles and setting up each scene, all of which just reinforced the feeling that you’re watching a play just for you. There were no distractions of background players dressed in black moving props, your attention remained on the cast at all times.
The entire cast delivered strong performances which captivated the audience and brought these 400 year old characters to life. The standout performances belong to Chris Clynes as Hamlet, Suzanne Marie as Ophelia, and Luke Jasztal as Horatio.
Hamlet is a complex character and one that has been open to interpretation for centuries. Is Hamlet a hero or a man of no action? Is he mad or feigning madness? Did he continue to love Ophelia or not? Are Hamlet and Laertes two-sides of the same coin?
No matter what your interpretation is, one thing is certain, you need a strong actor to play the titular role. Fortunately, Chris Clynes is the leading man and delivers a commanding performance of the Prince of Denmark. Mr Clynes manages to convey the various stages of Hamlet’s emotional state throughout the course of the play and embody a young man tormented by the murder of his father.
In my personal opinion, the scene where Hamlet appears at Ophelia’s funeral was an absolute standout and Mr Clynes delivered some of his best work.
There can be no Hamlet without Ophelia and the performance by Suzanne Marie was the very definition of commitment. I have never seen a descent into madness quite like this performance and it may just be the benchmark for future productions.
Luke Jasztal who played Horatio gave a strong and subtle performance whose scenes with Hamlet were some of my favourite.
Direction
I can only imagine that when deciding to tackle Shakespeare’s most famous play that one of hardest decisions to make has to be how much of the entire play can you include in your production? How much of the story is essential to your vision? How many of the characters do you want to include? How much time do you have?
Director Diana Vucane has brought to life the 400 year old story of murder, betrayal, sex, madness, and revenge in a 90 minute production which is easily one of the best versions of Hamlet I’ve seen. I thoroughly enjoyed every part of the play and thought that the decision to focus on the 7 main characters enabled tight and efficient storytelling without losing any of the emotional impact.
To watch or not to watch, that is the question
I would definitely recommend going to watch Hamlet at the Rose Playhouse because of the strong cast, the excellent venue, and an outstanding production.
The Essentials
- Where: The Rose Playhouse. 56 Park St, Southwark, SE1 9AR.
- When: 02 – 26 February 2016
- Times: Tues – Sat 7:30pm and Sun 3pm
- Price: £12 (£10 concession)
