The staging is always involving and the drama easy to follow, always worry in modern dress productions for anything that there would be gratuitous distaste going on or if there are things happening that don't make sense. The costumes look tasteful and aren't too much of a mishmash and the sets aren't drab or too simple with a shimmering look that is quite striking on film. On the other hand, this was a modern dress Shakespeare production that actually looked appealing. There are times where it is very effectively atmospheric and clever, at others it's on the gimmicky side. The production should have stuck with either doing it filmed play style or as a film, instead of seemingly trying to do both. Likewise with the CCTV style filming, which did confuse me at times and didn't always seem necessary. This has been done more than once in Shakespeare and while it has always been interesting when it's done the execution has been variable. Some people, well those not familiar with the play namely, may be at times perplexed by having some actors playing more than one character. For me, although it isn't quite perfect, this 2009 production fares favourably and is not just the best 'Hamlet' seen in some while (since seeing the BBC Television Shakespeare production) but the best of all the viewed modern-dress productions of the play (better than both National Theatre Live performances). Whether this is the best filmed 'Hamlet' ever is up for debate. Despite preferring traditional productions myself, as there is less of a risk of distaste and unnecessary touches, that has not stopped me from appreciating things done differently as different can work.

Royal Shakespeare Company's Shakespeare productions are always worth a peek, whether traditional or not.Įven if not every 'live' production of theirs has completely worked.

It is long and not easy to perform at all (namely physchologically), but the characterisation, language and complex emotions and psychology have always riveted me and it has always been one of my favourites from Shakespeare. One can see why 'Hamlet' is one of Shakespeare's best known and acclaimed plays with such memorable characters, some of the most deservedly famous in all literature, and text often quoted and referenced. Reviewed by TheLittleSongbird 8 / 10 'Conscience doth make cowards of us all'

Hamlet full movie patrick stewart