Hamlet on the Beeb

Another acquisition from a local library was a VHS copy of the BBC production of Hamlet from 1980.  It was part of the Time-Life collection, "The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare."  Interestingly, it the same version for which I obtained the vinyl recording described in a previous post (7/21/14).

This particular production of Hamlet starred Derek Jacobi in the title role and Patrick Stewart as Claudius.  What was notable immediately was the amount of facial hair present on cast members.  Nearly every actor sported beard and mustache.  Patrick Stewart even sported a full head of hair, the first time I recall seeing him that way.  I also noticed that Hamlet and Ophelia seemed older than typical.  Jacobi was 42 years old at the time, and he looked it.

The production was a taped version of a live performance.  As such, the play is performed on a stage set.  The decoration was minimal.  Interestingly, it appeared that the rear of the stage was set on a slant in order to give the perception of depth.  Costuming was typical period with lush garments befitting a royal court.

The running time of the performance was just over three and one half hours.  Not much seemed to have been edited from Shakespeare's original.  In fact, the only shortening that was noticeable was in Hamlet's instructions to the players; Herod was not out-Heroded this time.  Other than that, it was a very full, straightforward production.  And it felt it.  By the time it was finished, I felt that I had been through a long performance.  Not much of the direction was given over to humor.  It was very traditional, satisfying and long.

Hamlet's soliloquies did display some peculiarities.  Jacobi chose to play them in part as direct conversations with the audience.  It was a bit disquieting when he was looking directly at me (or rather, the camera) while speaking.  The "rogue and peasant slave" soliloquy was very emotional and loud.  Upon Ophelia's entrance at the conclusion of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Hamlet takes the book she was "reading" and inverts it.  Apparently she had been holding it with the text upside down, a sign that perhaps she had been spying on him.

I mention two other minor points of note.  When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were welcomed to Elsinore, they were not confused by Claudius and Gertrude as is usual.  Claudius shook hands with Rosencrantz first and Guildenstern second, and then Gertrude did the opposite.  Perhaps this was an attempt by the director to give each of them a distinct personality and not make them completely interchangeable.  When Hamlet thrice spoke the line "except my life" to Polonius, he feigned suicide with his dagger, sending Polonius from the room as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern entered.

The duel scene included both rapier and dagger.  Hamlet's first hit on Laertes was a very cheap one.  The second hit resulted from a much more extended and athletic exchange.  In a bit of turn-about, Laertes's fatal hit on Hamlet is also a cheap one, delivered as Hamlet attempts to return a dropped rapier to Laertes.  Claudius' death scene is fairly violent.  He is run through with the rapier and then forced to drink from the poisoned cup.  This is a decided contrast to the RSC production featuring Stewart as Claudius, when he drank from the cup by choice after shrugging.  (See 2/23/14 post.)

Length aside, this was a very respectful and respectable production of Hamlet.  It is one that I can say I have seen once, although I don't know if it is fit for a repeat viewing.