A 20-minute version of Hamlet - twice over. Impossible? Yes. Starting with a dance routine, the all-female cast do indeed make a valiant attempt to tell this story and, if already familiar with Hamlet, it is vaguely comprehensible. The costumes are fantastic - funky-style corsets with crazy knickers make the show visually exciting. The music also give it a quirky, cabaret feel. But the ideas aren't fully developed enough, and although the show is entertaining, the overall effect is confusion.

At one point, the cast kneel in a raked-audience formation and start swimming, while bubbles are blown into the air by someone in the front row. Although this effect is pretty, it's unclear what part in Hamlet it refers to. Similarly, the dance routine at the beginning is simply a modern dance fit for a school sports day and nothing to do with the story. Overall, Get Over It Hamlet! feels as if the cast lacks confidence in the production, which may affect how it is comes across.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Paula Benson - Gertrude. Grace Clark - Horatio / Laertes. Sonia Kamel - Hamlet. Tania Kieffer - Claudius / Polonius. Telma Rocha - Francisco / Ghost / Gravedigger / Osric Fortinbras. Velenzia - Ophelia. Musicians - Ezra Spearpoint, Charles Clark. Dancers - Ezra Spearpoint, Ciara Aaron.

Company Credits: Writer - uncredited. Original Writer - William Shakespeare (1564-1616). Director - Paula Benson. Assistant Director - Sonia Kamel. Technician - Alyssa Watts. Producer - uncredited. Company - Get Over It Productions. Camden Fringe Credits: Directors (alpha order): Zena Barrie, Michelle Flower. Box Office: Etcetera Theatre - Malcolm Keen; Liberties - Martin Donnelly

END

(c) Georgie Dean 2007

reviewed Monday 6 August 07 / Etcetera Theatre

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008