Hamlet Hail to the Thief review

Hamlet Hail to the Thief is an ingenious amalgamation of ideas. Co-creators and directors Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett have managed to take one of Shakespeare's longest plays, condense it into a slick 1 hour 45 minutes, and inject a new intensity by utilising the music of Radiohead. 

The Hail to the Thief album has been effectively rearranged and decontectualised by Thom Yorke himself, with various elements of songs are intricately woven throughout the play, rather than slapping unaltered pieces alongside the play. The vocal harmonies of 2 + 2 = 5, or the glockenspiel(?) melodies of Sit Down, Stand Up, for example, taking on a renewed, incredibly eerie role. There is an authenticity to Hamlet Hail to the Thief, and it in no way feels like vanity project. Even not having Radiohead themselves perform allows for the music to take more of a backseat when it needs to, and fulfill more of a soundtrack role. 

Underneath all of the trickery, Samuel Blenkin's performance as Hamlet was sublime. Playing up the delusional, neurotic tendencies of Hamlet, whilst still bringing in elements of infantile humour. A near perfect characterisation. The way in which I interpreted the production, was that we were viewing the events not as they unfolded, but as they happened in Hamlet's mind. This is further cemented by numerous elements, such as having the "ghost" of Hamlet's father not as a physical presence, but as a projection. The music, the all-black costumes, the whole cinematic nature of this production comes across as the construction of Hamlet's delusions. Even the dancers seem to become a form of Greek chorus in his mind. This framing starts to make you question what is real and what is not. Are the kisses Hamlet receives from Ophelia (played by the entrancing Ami Tredea) all just in his head?

Hail to the Thief is a very political album, and that theme seems to have worked its way into this production. In a scene where Guildenstern and Rosencrantz (Felipe Pacheco and James Cooney) are lying to Hamlet, one of them makes the "power thumb" gesture. This gesture emulates the mannerisms of modern day politicians. This is a Hamlet that very much feels of the present, and has a lot to say about the time in which we live. Hamlet's muddled thinking and sometimes misplaced rage seems to echo that of the politics of Thom Yorke. Or perhaps in this context, the personal struggle of Hamlet is a metaphor for discontent with "the system".

Alby Baldwin brings a levelheaded intelligence, as well as a vulnerability to the role of Horatio. This is often demonstrated in much more subtle ways, like breaking from a dance number in order to comfort an Ophelia on the edge of breakdown. 

On a lighter note, Claudius (Paul Hilton) resembles Ed O'Brien, perhaps the most typically "cool" member of Radiohead. Although I am sure this is total coincidence, I like the idea that the man Hamlet sees as stealing away his mother is the vision of a sexy, sleezy, silver-fox rockstar. Hilton and his on stage lover played by Claudia Harrison put in a performance that matches the brilliance of their co-stars.

I think it is worth recognising that this could have easily been a very bad production. Jones and Hoggett have cleverly chosen an album that facilitates the story rather than distracts from it.  Where Radiohead's greatest hits could have easily been shoehorned in, the whole approach taken, feels like one which honours both sets of original material. This Hamlet is conceptual genius, and I am beyond impressed. ★★★★★