5 Students Weigh In On ASWARA’s ‘Hamlet’: Staging of Shakespeare Classic Captivates A Full House
Theatrethreesixty artistic director and founder Christopher Ling brought five students from Methodist College Kuala Lumpur‘s American Degree Transfer Program to the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) last weekend to catch Ahmad Yatim‘s adaptation of Hamlet.
This is a review by THR1500: Foundations of Acting student Beatrice Tania Biga.
At the black box of the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) last night, Hamlet was staged in commemoration of Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary. Directed by Fasyali Fadzly, this staging was filled with comedy, conflict and of course, the tragedy that awaits its characters.
Set in Denmark during the Medieval period, the play revolves around Prince Hamlet’s revenge, who plots against his uncle, Claudius. Claudius, upon murdering his own brother, the King of Denmark, seizes the throne and marries his deceased brother’s wife, Gertrude.
Friday night saw a full house, with critics, creatives and students from various universities present to watch the play, told in Bahasa Melayu.
The most captivating part of the play lies in its narration, also provided by the character of Horatio (Muhammad Faiz). Following the pounding beat running in the background, out came Horatio, who gripped audiences with his captivating recollection of the tragic incident. Each time the beat resounded, Horatio kept audiences entertained.
Prince Hamlet (Afiq Ali) meanwhile possessed a wit that got viewers laughing, especially during his conversation with Polonius, chief counselor to King Claudius.
Although the production was highly-enjoyable thanks to its committed cast members, it showed room for improvement in terms of its cast’s verbal delivery and communication. For instance, Claudius lacked clarity while speaking on stage, which made him difficult to understand.
Hamlet was quite a sight, an experience further enhanced by its score and storytelling leading up to each character’s deaths. At the end of Friday night’s performance, the loud and clear applause filling the room should be a good indication of its success.
The Daily Seni would like to thank Christopher Ling and his students for this piece! Review edited by Deric Ect.
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