Hamlet

Jeri Jacquin

The summer nights are warming up nicely and with that my son, on an all-to-brief leave from his post in Iraq, surprised me with an outing at the Old Globe Theatre and to a moving experience of “Hamlet”.

The story in itself is a timeless one as the kingdom of Denmark is filled with sorrow and intrigue. Hamlet (Lucas Hall) comes home to find that his father is dead and his mother has remarried his uncle.

The castle itself is plagued by the ghost of Hamlet’s father (Bruce Turk) who haunts the guards nightly trying to find peace in a suspicious death. Hamlet is determined to make things right and release the ghost from its earthbound plane. His mother, Queen Gertrude (Celeste Ciulla) does not understand her sons’ depression and turns to King Claudius (Bruce Turk). Of course the new King has his own plans and this adds to Hamlet’s sorrows.

In his lament, Hamlet forgets his love Ophelia (Joy Farmer-Clary) and turns to the idea of revenge.  Revenge turns to madness and all are caught up in it until the finale reverberates with the “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions!” The twists and turns, plots and sub plots are all provided on a stage where there is no seat with a disagreeable view.

In March of 1978, an arsons fire silenced the Old Globe for a time. In 1979 the rebuilding began as a three-complex theatre began to emerge. In January of 1983 a rededication ceremony brought joy to many waiting for the Old Globe’s return. On January 14, 1982, the inaugural opening was Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” and Balboa Park was once again the home to the Old Globe.

With this production of “Hamlet” the viewer can fall into the words “what a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in form and moving! How express and admirable! How like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!”

FINAL WORD:  Lucas’ performance as Hamlet is full of soul. The up and down mood swings of the character Hamlet are done with grace and eloquence. Turk as King Claudius/Ghost has such an air that you almost do not see the deception that lie in Claudius. Ciulla as Gertrude is elegant and her confrontation scene with Hamlet, moving.

Janasz as Polonius fits this role amazingly as does Sorenson as Laertes and Farmer-Clay as Ophelia. During the scene of madness as Ophelia describes each flower, the audiences is treated to face to face contact with Ophelia as she hands one, then another a flower.

It is extraordinary to have characters coming from every which way during the performance and this kept me riveted and my attentions focused on the story itself.

TUBS OF POPCORN: “Though this be madness, yet there is a method to it” so it would be madness for me to attempt a “grade” on Shakespeare.  His method is looking into the souls of us all and finding how fallible we truly are. In the hundreds of years since Shakespeare one truth is universal, “This above all: to thine own self be true”!

If you have never been to the Old Globe in Balboa Park you are missing something special. The night sky full of stars and an occasional breeze adds to the grandeur of this beautifully performed piece.

For more information find the Old Globe Theatres information at www.theoldglobe.org or call 234-5623.