Ever wondered what happened to Elsinore and the Kingdom of Denmark after the curtains closed on Hamlet?
We hadn’t either, but we found out at the Monday night press preview of Players’ Theatre’s production of Lee Blessing’s Fortinbras; and we were happy we did.
Laertes (Alexander Sitaras-Grasic), Hamlet (Seb Mattey), Horatio (Maka Ngwenya), Fortinbras (Oscar Lecuyer)
Directed by Claire Hill, the stellar cast and dark humour make this contemporary follow-up to Shakespeare’s Hamlet a must-see. Oscar Lecuyer as Fortinbras nails the eccentric, self-loving role of the new king of Denmark as he tries to make himself at home on the throne.
The drama picks up where Hamlet left off in the palace of Elsinore – with bodies of the royal family carpeting the floor. Though that was the end of one story, this is where Fortinbras’ begins. Out of fear that the people will question his right to rule, Fortinbras contrives a story to legitimize his reign. This, however, disturbs the once-royals-now-ghosts, and they all return to ensure that the truth is revealed. The play is genuinely fun to watch, thanks to the antics of the palace’s spirits, and Fortinbras’ increasing madness. It also helps that the play is laced with perfectly-delivered, witty one liners.
Among the ghosts that haunt the palace are a conniving Ophelia (Ki-Eun Peck) and Hamlet (Seb Mattey) as you have never seen him before (we can assure you).
Osric (Alexander Friesen) and Ngwenya as Horatio
Maka Ngwenya as Horatio is the sole rational one, providing much needed normalcy to the crazy cast of characters, until a certain turn of events. Similarly, Osric’s portrayal is a pleasure to watch, and the bumbling, high-strung, and quirky never-left-the-palace-before courtier is executed perfectly by Alexander Friesen.
Catch the play between November 18th – November 28th at the Players’ Theatre in SSMU.
Images author’s own.