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Hamish as Hamlet

posted 17 years ago by newelljo
4 replies | jump to latest

This week we saw Hamish play the lead role in Hamlet at the South Coast Repertory in Orange County, CA. He was fantastic!

I enjoy him in The New Adventures of Old Christine but it was wonderful to witness the classically trained side of his talent.

Here is a link with a slide show about his role in Hamlet: http://www.scr.org/season/06-07season/hamlet.html

And for Ugly Betty Fans, Michael Urie, who plays Marc on that show is Horatio in Hamlet. Not a stellar performance by him but fun to see him on stage none the less.

[–] daughteroftheatre 17 years ago

Oh my god, isn't he AMAZING!
I work there, so at the end of my shift I just go and watch Hamlet... Everyone in it is great. But Hamish stands out.

If you are in the area or able to go see it, I highly suggest it. You will not see such a raw, honest, and pure Hamlet anywhere. He doesn't over dramatise or heighten anything... he keeps it so beautifully human. I couldn't believe how often I was laughing. You laugh with him, and marvel in his wit and genius, and at the same time your heart aches for him. I truly feel this is how Shakespeare wrote Hamlet to be.

Kenneth Branagh is one of my heroes, and I was lucky enough to see him as Hamlet in Stratford Upon Avon... and yet, I think I enjoyed Hamish's performace more.

GO!!! Is what I am trying to say.

[–] hypersparkle21 17 years ago

I agree. I just saw it yesterday and it was an amazing performance. He did a great job at showing the vulnerability of Hamlet, the madness and inner pain without making it ridiculous. Sometimes I think actors hone in on Hamlet's anger and become to threatening, but there was nothing threatening about Hamish's Hamlet. He was a young man who was battling his own inner demons. It was outstanding.

I don't agree with the original posting though. I thought Urie was great as Horatio. He made a very natural companion for Hamish's Hamlet.

The only cast member I wasn't a big fan of was Ophelia. She didn't seem to commit herself to her madness. I just didn't believe that she was really mad.

I do recommend checking it out. It's a wonderful production and has some amazing performances.

[–] babs1068 16 years ago

Oh crap, I'm crushing on a guy playing Hamlet again?? Let the therapy begin...

Let's see, this is now the 4thish person who played Hamlet I've crushed on. The list includes

--Kevin Kline in the 90s version
--Samuel West at Stratford von Avon in 2001 (or so. Live)
--Kenneth Brannagh (kinda, though would've preferred it when younger).
--Laurence Olivier (though he was too blonde.)

Am not including the one with Ethan Hawke as I never saw it and I was over Ethan around Beyond Sunrise.

[–] j1j 10 years ago

And now he's Benedick in NYC's (Public Theater) Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado about Nothing. And he is amazing. And... likable!