Hamlet at University

The first full version of Hamlet that I saw onstage was produced by the International Theatre Program at the University of Rochester in their 2002-2003 season.  Now, ten years later, I'm finally getting around to writing about it.  At least I have a souvenir playbill (and the Internet) to help my memory.

As noted in the playbill, the version of Hamlet as performed here was taken from Harold Jenkins' 1982 Arden edition.  I will admit that my level of scholarship has not led me into the different folios and quartos of the play and the relative merits thereof.  The company stated that the Arden version was "best suited to the aims of [the] student actors and scholars, and director" and that's good enough for me.  They adapted the text to fit in a running time of roughly three hours.

Ten years notwithstanding, several elements still stand out from that performance.  First was the young man who played the role of Hamlet, Noshir Dalal.  It was, I seem to recall, his first major stage role.  After seeing him, I found that very difficult to believe, which is perhaps why it has stayed with me this long.  He did an excellent job, never showing any hint of being a "rookie."  His personal web page shows that he has continued in the acting profession and has appeared in numerous stage, television and film productions.

One notable set element was a large armoire that stood at the back of the stage.  I remember that it served several functions.  At one point, it served as a bed.  The actors stood in front of it, and it was as if we the audience were looking down on the bed from above (a mirror on the ceiling, perhaps?).  During Claudius' soliloquy in III, iii, the inside of the wardrobe may have been lit to serve as a church window.

One minor textual adaptation has also remained in my memory.  As Laertes was attempting to leave for France, his suitcase became unlatched while talking with Ophelia.  Out of it fell a large number of condoms.  The shock value of the scene, undoubtedly modernized (and perhaps not unreasonably so) for the benefit of and amusement of the college audience, certainly served its purpose.

Truly this is one version of the production that I enjoy being able to revisit many years later in this blog.  Finding photographs of the performance on the International Theatre Program website has allowed the nostalgia to wax even more, and it has provided evidence of the many uses for that armoire.  It has given me suitable incentive to see if a video of the play that was advertised ten years ago might still be available.  This is one production I would like very much to be able to watch again.