Thursday, November 28, 2024
Robert Lepage Brings His Dancing Hamlet to Chicago
Playbill: "Words, words, words,” Hamlet replies when asked what he’s reading. But Shakespeare’s brooding soliloquist finds himself stripped of words and solely relying on movement in The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, a new dance-theatre adaptation by director Robert Lepage and choreographer Guillaume Côté, who stars in the title role. Following its acclaimed world premiere in Toronto last spring and an engagement at Le Festivalul Internațional Shakespeare in Craiova, Romania, the production makes its U.S. premiere at Chicago’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance, with three performances, November 23–24.
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This is such a fun idea, with such a brilliant execution. For a dancer to explore such a dark and interesting character that actors are still digging into and finding newness from in modern times must be a challenge. It seems to be one that is very extravagant, considering the circumstances. Cote’s insight is the perfect explanation as to why this adaptation on the well-known story and its themes was necessary in today’s world. In rumination of problems that must be urgently acted upon, one creates a vicious cycle of inaction and harm. There is a lot of talk in politics and in art both, and certainly not enough action. The show takes minimalism in its mise-en-scene but dives into the performance style and music as it would have been years before. Lepage contradicts his previous high-tech work in this sense. I think the movement adaptation of this fits well with the minimalism of the production overall, since the performance itself is emphasized over what otherwise might clutter up the production.
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