I Hate Hamlet

WHAT: I Hate Hamlet
WHEN: Saturday, September 7 (2002)
WHERE: GRADS, Dolphin Theatre, UWA, Nedlands (WA)

So often it seems that today's hit production is tomorrow's inevitable trilogy.

From the club that brought you Hamlet (March, 2002) and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (June, 2002) comes the concluding chapter in the triumvirate of plays dealing with the Danish Prince who just couldn't make up his mind.

Well, not really, but it sounds good. "I Hate Hamlet" is set in more recent times. Young TV soap star Andrew Rally (Jeff Watkins) learns he has just won the titular role in an upcoming New York "Shakespeare in the Park", whilst moving into a new apartment. An apartment, coincidentally, once owned by the late, great John Barrymore - considered the greatest American to ever play the Bard's wordiest character.

Obviously, Barrymore's ghost manifests to coach young Rally for the production (as you do). "Every actor contemplating portraying Hamlet has the right to call upon one of his predecessors for advice," or something like that. I'll admit, I was laughing so hard I might have missed the odd bit here or there (and so did the people around me for some reason).

Act 1 was extraordinarily funny. An obvious joy for the audience and performers alike there were few lulls between the laughs. It is a script rich in theatrical in-jokes and insults. However, even before the guffaws began, as the curtain rose and Aletia K. Artemis walked on in over-the-knee suede boots and miniskirt, I knew I was going to like this play.

Aletia played real estate agent Felicia Dantine, desperately trying to convince Rally to buy Barrymore's apartment. Not quite Fran Drescher's long-lost sister, Aletia nevertheless has perfected a nasal (Brooklyn?) drawl which never faltered and provided much amusement. Rally was eventually convinced into buying by his girlfriend, Deirdre (Angela Trevithick-Webb). A hopeless romantic, Deirdre could have been Kathleen Turner's sister from "The Man With Two Brains" (incredibly amorous, but unremittingly chaste).

Dale James had a smallish role as Rally's agent, effectively playing an elderly German woman who, surprise surprise, once had a fling with Barrymore. Stunning frock in Act 3, though. Matthew B. Kieley rounded out the cast playing against type as Captain Caffeine, Rally's LA writer/producer/buttkisser "friend". Hyperactive superhero by day, but the essence of temptation by night, "Forget Shakespeare, come back to LA and do a TV show... who cares if it's crap, it'll make you rich." I can't think of anyone more suited for the role.

But I haven't really spoken about Rally or Barrymore. Like all good buddy movies, the success depends upon the chemistry of the leads, and this seemed to work pretty well. Jeff was entirely convincing as a soap opera superstar - Hollywood Royalty - looking for legitimacy but torn by indecision (Hark! Do we detect an allegory?) He spent much of his time as a foil (ha ha) for Barrymore, but redeemed himself somewhat at the end of Act 1, and totally at the end of Act 3.

Barrymore was perfectly cast with multi-award-winning director, Kim Martin, treading the boards again after far too long. Just beating Matthew for the role of the alcoholic philanderer, Kim swans around the set as if he owned it - which is exactly the point. With most of the best lines, he endears himself to an audience buffeted by one dry barb after another. No fireworks (see the programme) but a solid (ha ha) characterisation and performance.

What didn't I like? There was nothing distinctly bad about Act 2, but it suffered in comparison to Act 1 ("Full Metal Jacket" style). After the continuous laughs before the interval, Act 2 seemed a bit flat. A surprisingly short Act, it seemed to end a bit abruptly. After a few seconds' darkness, we were into Act 3 where the pace picked up a bit. Not sure what the cast can do with a script so top-heavy with humour, but that's just the play, I suppose. Again, it was by no means bad, just not as memorable as the full-steam-ahead opening.

The set was magnificent. Costumes were lovely, particularly the aforementioned Dale and Aletia's, as well as Angela's black silk negligee. The fact that black is a slimming colour worked against Jeff, I'm afraid - put some meat on those ankles, man! Kim's shoes seemed a little odd (a leftover from Aladdin?) Did Matthew come late to the production, because he didn't seem to have any costumes....

A nice bit of sleight of hand in introducing Barrymore's ghost, but the timing was sleightly off (on a roll tonight....). Classic misdirection with a distraction occurring on one side of the stage to draw the audience's attention, but on the night I was there, the ghost appeared fractionally early. Apart from that very very minor thing, it was technically hitch-free.

I believe Meadows directed this fine production, but we all know he doesn't believe in reviews so we can screw him and say what a fine job the cast and crew did. Three final performances this week and well worth a look - particularly for a theatre audience who will probably get even more out of it than the general public. The publicity seems to have been a bit light - apart from this webpage and the ITA newsletter, I've seen no mention of the show, so spread the word!

JB