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Staging William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is a daunting proposition. Not only is it the most profound play by the world's most enduring playwright, but it also is one of his longest.
In its construction, Shakespeare proves himself a magician as well as a master craftsman, transforming the stock Elizabethan revenge tragedy into a complex rumination on family love, loyalty, personal responsibility, deception, morality and the interaction of fate and choice in our lives by clothing its bare bones with the most eloquent poetry ever written.
Pioneer Theatre Company's production confronts these challenges head-on, and though it stumbles at times, its intelligence, clarity and unerring humanity keep it firmly on track.
Hamlet's opening speech establishes the tension between appearance and reality that pervades the play: "seems ... Nay, it is. I know not 'seems.' " This polarity also marks the performances. After a slightly shaky start, in which he seems overly emotional and melodramatic, Michael Crane's Hamlet settles into a natural, relaxed rhythm that makes the character accessible, perceptive, vulnerable and very real. His portrayal infuses the scenes he is in with a direct, down-to-earth quality. He deftly balances the demands of the language with his need to keep Hamlet human.
Other actors are less successful at maintaining that balance. Greg Thornton as Claudius, Noble Shropshire as Polonius and Nisi Sturgis as Ophelia have moments in which they become enmeshed in the play's rhetoric, too focused on making what they say sound good. At the same time, all three understand their characters and communicate them well in some scenes. Claudius' wily duplicity and Polonius' garrulous pontificating consistently come across, and Sturgis is fragile and touching in Ophelia's mad scenes.
Like Crane, Joyce Cohen grasps the emotional arc of her character: Her Gertrude journeys from self-assurance to uncertainty and agonized guilt. Her question to Hamlet — "What shall I do?" — becomes the watchword for her disintegrating life.
Eric Gilde's sensible, supportive Horatio nicely offsets Michael Zlabinger's impassioned, vengeful Laertes, and Paul Kiernan provides welcome comic moments as the gravedigger. Wynn Harmon creates an imposing Ghost and articulate Player King.
Director Charles Morey has chosen to cut the Fortinbras subplot, which simplifies the play's through line, and paints some vivid stage pictures. Having the Ghost come downstage is particularly powerful. Another good choice is moving the "get thee to a nunnery scene" forward; when Hamlet asks Ophelia, "Are you honest?" the question is echoed in the two following scenes with Polonius and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, which underlines the importance of the hypocrisy/honesty dichotomy in the play. Morey paces Act I just right, but Act II is flatter and uneven.
The downside of Gary English's black-box set — an attempt to convey timelessness — is that it destroys any sense of place. It does capture the claustrophobic feel of the court, and having the back open up is a nice touch. Phil Monat's atmospheric lighting — from the chandelier's soft, golden glow to the crisp blue of the upstage opening — dims and reddens during the final scene. Susan Branch Towne's Edwardian costumes are elegant and stylish.
The wonder of "Hamlet" is that, no matter how many times you see it, you always discover something new. This production illuminates the timeless ties of love and betrayal that link us all as human beings.
'Hamlet'
R Pioneer Theatre Company's intelligent production of "Hamlet" offers opportunity for new insights through Michael Crane's portrait of a character we can all relate to.
When • Reviewed Sept. 17; Performances Mondays through Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. through Oct. 2, with Saturday matinee at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 25 and 2 p.m on Oct. 2.
Where • Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S. University St., Salt Lake City
Tickets • $24 to $40 with discounts for students and groups; grades K–12 are half price on Mondays and Tuesdays. Call 581-6961 or visit www. pioneertheatre.org for tickets and information.
Running time • Three hours (including a 15-minute intermission).