Patty Joanna
02-04-2008, 01:04 AM
Seattle Children's Theater's Hamlet is a wonderful production for the 11-15/16 yo crowd. The play is abridged, but not by cutting any of Shakespeare's words, but by cutting the parts of the play that can count as sub- or secondary plots. The main character is portrayed in a manner that is not as melancholic as in some of the other productions I have seen--he captures a lot of the teenage angst but doesn't play it as an adult depressive. The sets are simple, and effective. Only 5 players produce the whole effort--and two of those (Hamlet and his uncle) play only one role. The costuming, obviously, had to be "quick-change"--and it is well done to convey different characters, and even sort of "color coded" in a non-obvious way to help the audience keep the families and relationships straight. And the way they portrayed the ghost of Hamlet's father--WOW. Really effective and interesting.
Are there some kids that might not do well at this show? Yes. As I said, the ghost is pretty clearly an image, not 3-D, but if a kid is upset by that, then be forwarned. Also, the adult language is not cut from the parts that are in the play--so the words "incest" and "adultery" will be used. Of course, it is all in Elizabethan English, so if a kid doesn't know what these are, he is not likely to "get it" from hearing the words used here. And if he does, it adds to the understanding of Hamlet's wrath. Finally, although a lot of people in that theater had their young children with them, I really don't think I would have been happy to have brought my son even a couple of years ago. It's too complex to understand, and all the explaining means no one gets to enjoy it.
Background for us: my son is 12, we have read the Garfield edition of Hamlet and listened on tape/read the full play and discussed it, but tht was at least 2 years ago. We all three thought it was well done and are glad we went.
Are there some kids that might not do well at this show? Yes. As I said, the ghost is pretty clearly an image, not 3-D, but if a kid is upset by that, then be forwarned. Also, the adult language is not cut from the parts that are in the play--so the words "incest" and "adultery" will be used. Of course, it is all in Elizabethan English, so if a kid doesn't know what these are, he is not likely to "get it" from hearing the words used here. And if he does, it adds to the understanding of Hamlet's wrath. Finally, although a lot of people in that theater had their young children with them, I really don't think I would have been happy to have brought my son even a couple of years ago. It's too complex to understand, and all the explaining means no one gets to enjoy it.
Background for us: my son is 12, we have read the Garfield edition of Hamlet and listened on tape/read the full play and discussed it, but tht was at least 2 years ago. We all three thought it was well done and are glad we went.