That might be a name that inspires. Or it could be the name of a playwright that dredges up cold sweat and memories of tedious high school lectures and research papers. Shakespeare’s Hamlet takes it’s place on the top of many college and high school reading lists both for literary and historical value. It is, as local director Bill Coleman says, a familial drama which is, at the play’s center, a drama steeped in ancient violence.
And despite its age, contemporary audiences might find Hamlet to be surprisingly relevant, even for those more used to binge-watching their entertainment. Coleman has taken the universality of the play and set it in the present.
“Our Hamlet, though set in our time, is also set in a cycle of violence that has run through centuries, where one generation’s violence creates the conditions for another’s, where revenge is expected, where even a dead father retains the power to charge his son to shed another’s blood. It is a culture of violence both overt and casual, where women are objects to be shaped by men’s words and plans, used and then forgotten,” said Coleman.
Wichita Center for Performing Arts is presenting Coleman’s Hamlet as its first fully-staged production. The show is this weekend, Feb. 21-24, at their refurbished facility at 9112 E. Central and features a student talk-back after the matinee on Sunday. Students and teachers can order in advance using promo code ‘talkback’, tickets are only $5 (with student/teacher ID shown at door). Included in the price of that ticket is the post-show discussion with the actors, designers, and director.
The talk-back is important to Coleman, a local educator, so the Hamlet team can share their experiences and thoughts on the play with students.
“It’s a pleasure to discover this play with such a talented, committed group of artists. Arthur Miller once said, ‘There are always certain moments in rehearsals, moments of such wonder that the memory of them serves to further entrap all who witness them into this most insecure of all professions.’ I’ve felt that exact same way night after night in rehearsals for Hamlet,” said Coleman.
With his team, the life of the play is as accessible to modern audiences as life itself.
“When the actor understands the words, and feels the pulse and pull of those words’ rhythms, all is present to the audience. Even the interior life of the character–even aspects that are blind to the character–are there,” he said. Local staple Quinn Warren has taken on the herculean task of the title role. One that Coleman believes he is uniquely suited to play.
“Quinn, for example, is a truly extraordinary actor. He makes every syllable of Shakespeare’s language palpable, physical, even as he finds the emotional and intellctual truth of every moment. There is never a false note,” said Coleman.
Looking for something new to do this weekend? Give Shakespeare another try with Hamlet.
Please note Hamlet is a play that includes scenes of psychological and physical violence. This production is not intended for children younger than 14-years-old. Tickets and show information can be found at www.WichitaCenter.org or call 316.201.6654. More information is available on Facebook @WichitaCenterforPerformingArts.