Shakespeare stage productions in South Africa have been few and far between over the past two years. But we seem to be emerging from the shadow of Covid, and as the theatre sector builds some momentum again more Shakespeare can be expected.
In March, Janni Younge’s puppetry Hamlet was a one-night-only event at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre. Now, in the same week that Neil Coppen’s live-online-reading of Hamlet (performed in May 2021) was nominated for a Naledi Award in the category “Best Production: Virtual Online Theatre”, Shakespeare ZA is glad to be able share some news from Abrahamse & Meyer Productions about the return of their Hamlet to Artscape ... en route to Denmark!
Marcel Meyer and Lungile Lallie in Hamlet
(All photos: Daniel Coetzee)
The Abrahamse & Meyer production of Hamlet premiered at the 2015 National Arts Festival and has since played to rave reviews and standing ovations across Europe, South Africa and the United States of America. The production takes its inspiration from the apocryphal tale of a performance of Hamlet in 1608 by the crew of the Red Dragon, while the ship was anchored off the east coast of Africa.
This production re-imagines Shakespeare’s play within the context of this story, presenting a performance aboard the Red Dragon as a play within a play within a play, utilising a cast of six actors playing six Jacobean sailors who, in turn, play all the parts in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Later this year, the company will travel to Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, Denmark - the setting for Hamlet and also the site of the world’s oldest Shakespeare Festival (which has run continuously since 1816) - to perform at this iconic venue.
Hamlet features direction and set design by Fred Abrahamse, lighting by Faheem Bardien, costumes by Marcel Meyer and an original score by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder. Joining Meyer in the cast are original company members Matthew Baldwin [Ophelia & Guildenstern] and Jeremy Richard [Laertes & Rosencrantz], with veteran Shakespearean Michael Richard as Claudius. Completing the cast are up-and-coming actors Taylin Ramsamy [Horatio & Polonius]and Lungile Lallie [Gertrude].
The production runs at Artscape in Cape Town until 23 April. All tickets cost R80 and can be booked through Computicket or Artscape-Dial-A-Seat (+27 21 421 7695).
