Asheville – Shakespeare & Friends brings a breath of fresh air to William Shakespeare’s renowned tragedy Hamlet with a captivating new adaptation. Titled Hamlet: The Requiem, the original production engages both traditional enthusiasts and the digital generation by presenting a tour de force plot, a shorter duration, and minimalist staging, all while cherishing the poetry of Shakespeare’s language.
Writer and Director Anthony Abraira describes the production as “a witnessing rather than a performance, aiming to create a unique and intimate connection between the audience and the world of Hamlet. Having no intermission will intensify the dramatic tension, ensuring spectators remain fully-engaged from beginning to end. It’s a beautiful row of dominos set and ready to fall at any moment.”
Same Lines Differently Assigned
The dialouge of the play includes only the lines originally penned by Shakespeare, but they have been rearranged and sometimes reassigned to different characters, masterfully combining the Bard’s poetic brilliance with a familiar meter for modern dialogue that delights the ear.
“The play is still in iambic pentameter and it is still a free verse play, so it still sounds Shakespearean,” shared the director. “There’s a tendency for these classic plays to pontificate for extended monologues, so we’ve optimized the language for a modern attention span. That doesn’t mean we simplified the story, in fact its more nuanced and complicated in that the characters are far more human, cagey and flawed. This permits a chance for the audience to take a side.”
Theater in the Round: More Than A Play
In addition to its innovative storytelling and captivating performances, Shakespeare & Friends’ production of Hamlet: The Requiem promises to immerse audiences in a world enhanced by cinematic scoring.
“The room will never go silent for the entire play,” explained producer Michelle Newman. “We’ve created an atmosphere that captures multiple energies and narratives with a carefully curated sound bed.” Technologically this young renegade theater group is also performing alongside the cast with sound effects, omnious tones, and orchestrial flourishes and stage lighting which emotionally calibrates the Shakespeare’s poetry with almost cinematic garnishes.
In a departure from traditional gender role assignments, the iconic role of Hamlet will be skillfully portrayed by Hillary Fleming. Fleming’s captivating performance promises to offer a fresh perspective on Hamlet’s inner turmoil, challenging conventional expectations and delivering a powerful portrayal.
“With the cast so close, audiences are stirred up,” said Fleming. “There is nowhere to run. But in a place like that, you don’t have to be a loud actor, you don’t have to ham it up. It’s hyper-realistic at times.”
Hamlet: The Requiem will premiere not only in Downtown Asheville on September 14th and 15th at the Ella Venue across from the Masonic Temple on Broadway, but also in Spartanburg on the 16th and 17th as well as in the theater group’s creative abode in Tryon, North Carolina the following week of September (21 thru the 24th).
Raising the Bar
“We are doing more than putting on another play, we are setting a precendent. Since our inception, Shakespeare & Friends has focused on presenting classic plays in a way that’s fully immersive and unforgettably relevant to our audiences,” added Newman.
Editor’s Note: Hamlet: The Requiem contains all the mature themes from the original play, including violence, murder and suicide. This adaptation includes simulated gun violence. All ages will be admitted, but parental discretion is strongly advised.