Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Oct 12 – Dec 1, 2013
Playwright: William Shakespeare
Director: Simon Stone
Actors: Toby Schmitz, Emily Barclay, Luke Byrne, Thomas Campbell, John Gaden, Nathan Lovejoy, Robyn Nevin, Anthony Phelan, Maximilian Riebl, Greg Stone

Theatre review
Shakespeare’s tragedies are vehicles for artists to express the extremities of human emotion and inconceivable psychological torment. When created well, a staging of plays like Hamlet will allow for the most outlandish and ostentatious of acting styles. In Belvoir’s production, Toby Schmitz pushes his portrayal of Hamlet over the edge of sanity, giving us one of the year’s most memorable theatrical performances.

Taking the brave decision to remove the ambiguity of the protagonist’s insanity, director Simon Stone’s version of events presents a Hamlet that is as much about mental disorders as it is about death and betrayal. Consequently, Schmitz’s choices are liberated, and he explores states of grief and madness with great intensity and high-octane drama. It is a delicious performance and the actor is magnetically powerful, while being controlled and considered. Schmitz is as intelligent as he is artistic, and the combination is lethal.

Greg Stone plays Polonius with great flair and confidence. This is an actor who loves Shakespeare’s words and knows how to use them. His performance is a real delight. Robyn Nevin’s role is less substantial, but she delivers what we have come to expect of her. Loads of gravitas and focus, and incredible elegance.

Many liberties are taken in Stone’s work, including a very clever take on the “play within a play” scene in which Lord Hamlet’s death is re-enacted, and some of the best use of incidental music in a long while. Stone displays not just originality and ingenuity, but also a keen sense of playfulness. His Hamlet is surprising, intriguing and taut. It runs slightly over two hours, and every moment is imbued with wonder and tension. This is exhilarating theatre. Stone’s show has a dangerous flirtation with abstraction which adds to its intrigue and seductive quality, but unfortunately becomes overwhelming in the final scenes. The play closes strongly but the journey at the end is slightly rocky. Nevertheless, this slightly abridged Hamlet is a courageous and accomplished work, one that showcases some of the best theatre practitioners and their dedication to, and faith in the art form.

www.belvoir.com.au

Venue: Belvoir St Theatre (Surry Hills NSW), Sep 26 – Oct 27, 2013
Playwright: Kit Brookman
Director: Kit Brookman
Actors: Luke Mullins, Susan Prior, Tom Conroy, Paul Gleeson, Sandy Gore

Theatre review
Every family has a skeleton in the closet, and in Orestes’ case, the troubles that plague his family are all-consuming, but also mysterious. Kit Brookman’s script is sensitive and perceptive, with a depiction of emotional torment that cuts to the bone. The strongest element to his storytelling is the way his characters are seen to suffer from psychological afflictions, which none of them are able to articulate or to truly understand. There are misunderstandings and miscommunication, along with blurred and contradictory recollections of shared histories.

Orestes is played by Luke Mullins, who impresses with the portrayal of a damaged man without performing a lot of emotional upheaval. This is a confused man who escapes life at every turn, and while he tries to get on with things, it is evident to us that his inner demons are alive and festering. Mullins’ truthful approach is realistic and relatable. His character works hard to maintain a calm exterior but the actor keeps us engaged with a highly nuanced and thoroughly studied performance. Other players shine with different strengths, including Susan Prior giving the family a dimension of emotional volatility, and Sandy Gore’s sense of austere resolve brings a beautiful gravitas to the play.

Mel Page’s set design is simple but perfectly executed. Turning the small stage into a living garden situates the story in a place of familiarity and intimacy, making Small And Tired an everyday Australian tale. Brookman’s direction consciously adds small details to always bring the action back to mundane life, preventing his ideas from turning into abstract concepts. The play has a message, but it is conveyed tenderly, and it is that message that transforms an entertaining night at the theatre into an experience of enlightenment and catharsis.

www.belvoir.com.au