Review of Hamlet by William Shakespeare
             Performed at The Theatre Royal, Plymouth, September 2004
             Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most popular and widely produced plays. It's the story of The Prince of Denmark, whose father, The King, is killed by his own brother. Hamlet receives a visit from the spirit of his dead father who explains the circumstances behind his death. Hamlet seeks revenge and further discovers that His Mother (The Queen) is romantically attached to his father's murderer. The plot to revenge the murder ensues; Hamlet enlists the help of a group of actors to produce a play which satirises the incident before his uncle. The reaction is enough to convince Hamlet of the truth behind his father's murder. Hamlets madness progresses, resulting in him accidentally killing a member of the royal council. Ophelia's father. In a final and bloody showdown, the Queen drinks from a poisoned chalice meant for Hamlet. Hamlet kills Ophelia's and is himself stabbed with a poisoned sword. Before his death, he kills the king.
             The performance, directed by Legendary Japanese director Yukio Ninagawa, created a truly visual spectacle with undeniably oriental influences. From start to finish, this production of Hamlet was a veritable banquet for the eyes. At the opening of the performance the audience was greeted with a vast black stage, high walls dominate the space numerous light bulbs of varying sizes hang down to pierce the blackness with shards of light. They swung, as if rocked by the wind, together with simple sound effects, we are outside on a cold winters evening. This use of sound effects is a simple convention which is revisited throughout the performance to good effect. The stage space was pierced from floor to ceiling strands of dangerous looking barbed wires. They served as the boundaries between characters; they are the marks of invisible walls, like prison bars, adding an element of danger and uncertain...