Last week, Indhu Rubasingham launched her inaugural programme as the National Theatre’s director with a modern revision of a Greek classic. This Shakespearean classic now marks the maiden voyage for Robert Hastie as the venue’s new deputy artistic director. His production is elegant, fluid and full of clever ideas and updates. Hamlet (Hiran Abeysekera) wears a cool black suit or leisure wear, addressing the audience directly in his soliloquies, sometimes sitting at the edge of the stage to implore and make eye contact.
But the most unusual twist to this modern-dress version is its comedy. The usually morose Dane is anything but in Abeysekera’s hands. He draws out the physical humour of his part, seeming already antic before he assumes that disposition. It is as if he has been ascribed the job of Shakespeare’s universal wise fool, complete with ruff collar when the Players arrive.
