Horatio had nothing to do

Overall, I very much enjoyed this production for its lead actors and feeling, for the most part, like an ensemble play. The one actor that I felt got cheated though was the guy who played Horatio. He stands around and smiles a lot and doesn't really fulfill his role in the show being Hamlet's conscience and sounding board.

Horatio is brought out in the first scene to give credence to the guards witnessing a ghost because of his grounded reputation. In that scene, I felt that Horatio didn't pursue actually interrogating the Ghost. A man of science is confronted with what shouldn't exist and the exchange feels "Meh" and "look I'm saying amazing lines. Later on the line intended for a laugh Hamlet: "Methinks I see my father", Horatio: "Where, my lord!" wasn't played up, just said.

The good friend relationship with Hamlet is never explored nor Horatio being a willing participant in finding out Claudius' guilt. Horatio isn't shown as Hamlet's means back into the court, they just show together in the graveyard. Prior to the duel and in one line Horatio accuses Hamlet of malice in the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that Hamlet is surprised by and has to defend himself but that's blown over.

They play with sort of a homosexual attachment from Horatio's perspective but its never really followed up on. So there is a lot to play with in the character but I felt it totally wasn't taken advantage of.