HAMLET

I forgot to let you in on HAMLET. As some of you may know David Tennant is out of Hamlet for the time being with a back injury. He has an understudy, Edward Bennett, who did play Laertes but has now taken on -- at least until Christmas -- the role of Hamlet. Being that Tennant is out, it wasn't too difficult for me to get a ticket for tonight's performance.

Here is the only picture of Bennett in the role:



He's 29. Four years out of RADA. This is his first lead role on stage. This could be his break. It's happened before. Lead gets sick, understudy takes over and becomes a success over night. However, based on what I saw tonight (which I will discuss more later) I do have to say that such a quick transition from nobody to star probably will not occur for Bennett at this stage.

On taking over HAMLET from The Times:

For now, he is trying not to think about what this new break could do for his career, in either direction. “It's worrying,” he says. “I mean, I might be crap. Seriously. I haven't done any rehearsals. That's how I feel. I'm not going to beat David, and I'm scared that I'm not good enough for it. And after the reviews, which I shouldn't have f***ing read...”

They were all pretty good, though.

“I shouldn't have read them. I can't help it. I can't help it. Because I hate that thing when you've had a bad review and you see people and they've read them and you haven't. And they're treating you a little bit different. How are you feeling? All that. So I'd rather just know. But, well, it's like, did you see David's mug? Which I love? Keep Calm And Carry On?”

Yes. Is it meant to have that big hole smashed out of the bottom, do you think?

“Oh. I hadn't thought of that. Maybe he smashed it on the desk? F*** you, keep calm and carry on! Oh dear.”

I'm sure it's nothing like that. Probably just an accident. Sshh. Have another cough sweet.

Bennett laughs. “It's an amazing experience,” he concludes, sounding exhausted, “but hopefully David will be back soon. Although I won't lie. It's nice to be in his dressing room.”


Here's Mariah Gale -- the stunning, brilliant Mariah Gale -- as Ophelia, opposite Tennant. A rising star for the RSC.



Penny Downie as Gertrude.



The lighting in this show is unbelievable. The whole stage is one big mirror, huge glass panels along the back that open and close so that the light reflects off it. Very dark stage throughout -- dim lighting -- with no spot lights on the actors, just lighting from above the stage. Ed Bennet didn't do very well at this scene. He just limply held the mirror while saying his lines. Pretty much how he acted every scene, to be honest.

His mannerisms are non-existent and his voice, while rather deep and melodious and much more mature than his 29 years, was not used to its full potential during the delivery of his lines, so it sounded the same when he was plainly speaking as when he raised his voice. Not much change, not much wavering during high-emotion/crying scenes. Occasionally the inflection would change but it was never held for an effective time. His 'actions' were about the same, very stiff. Whereas Tennant in the picture with Mariah is using his whole body Bennet during this scene was scrunched up against Mariah, with his arms locked over his knees. Perhaps as a way to express a sort of closing up of his self -- what have you -- but also a good image to describe his acting style throughout. (And I much prefer Tennant's sexual/flippant style).


Tennant and Patrick Stewart as Claudius at the end of the first Act. Will he or won't he kill Claudius? Hamlet goes to jab him with the knife as the stage goes suddenly dark. There are no intervals in traditional Shakespeare plays so it is always up to the production when they will place one. Good choice here. Heart-stopping ending to the first act, even if you know what is to happen next.

In summation, very glad that I got to see Hamlet. Production on the whole was fabulous. And despite my quips about Bennett, I do think he did a great job, especially considering the circumstances.

Although I really wish I had seen Tennant.




I'll leave you with another bit from The Times article:

Bennett is not just Tennant's understudy. He is also quite unashamedly in awe of him. The pair first worked together in the RSC's Romeo and Juliet in 2000 in Stratford. “I wouldn't say we worked together,” says Bennett, amused. “He was Romeo. I was a spear-carrier. I was a member of Escalus's watch. My job was to walk across the stage with a gun three times. And stamp twice. And arrest Benvolio in the third act. And I got to grunt.”

The pair did, however, speak. “I remember talking to him at a party,” says the understudy. “And I was like, ‘I just want you to know I think you're incredible!' And he was like, ‘Thanks very much'.” Bennett was 18 at the time, and on holiday from Cardiff University. He wanted to be an actor so he knocked on the stage door in Stratford and asked whether they would have him. “They said: ‘Are you an actor?' And I said: ‘Um, no'. So they said: ‘Well, we need spear-carriers. Send in a picture'. And I did. Although I didn't know they meant, you know, a ten-by-eight. So I just sent in a picture of me and my mates. Pissed at my 18th.”