Feigned madness from overwhelming grief

The play is a story of failed revenge that explores themes of treachery as well as destruction of morality. Photo: STAR

Anya Theatre, India staged the William Shakespeare classic “Hamlet” at the National Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, on April 5. The show was part of the ongoing theatre festival arranged by Padatik Natya Sangsad (TSC).
Bivas Chakravorty has adapted and directed the play. The approach was seemingly to de-construct the typical Shakespeare style, as the director chose contemporary costumes, language and gestures.
The psychoanalytical world of Prince Hamlet [in a broader sense, of a human being] has been vividly portrayed in the play. His feigned madness to reveal the truth, to take revenge on his uncle Claudius for murdering his father King Hamlet, surpasses the boundaries of the story.
Ophelia's love for young Hamlet as well as his deep attachment to Ophelia that the Prince realises after her death, takes the play to the zenith of tragedy. But in the end, it is a story of failed revenge that explores themes of treachery as well as destruction of morality.
Anya Theatre is the only invited troupe from abroad. The troupe staged two shows of the play on the day. The energy and enthusiasm of the performers should be praised, as the play is almost three hours long.
“Hamlet” is Shakespeare's longest play and it has the immortal lines, “To be or not to be: that is the question”. It begins in Denmark with the news that King Hamlet has recently died.
The synopsis goes like this: Denmark is now in a state of high alert and preparing for possible war with Norway. King Claudius, new ruler of Denmark, has taken King Hamlet's widow, Queen Gertrude, as his wife. Young Hamlet distrusts King Claudius.
The King and Queen do not understand why Hamlet still mourns his father's death. Laertes, the son of Polonius, gives his sister Ophelia some brotherly advice. He warns her not to fall in love with Young Hamlet; she will only be hurt. Hamlet meets the ghost of his father, King Hamlet, and follows it to learn more...
The lengthy play at times seemed unnecessarily stretched. For instance, there was a sequence featuring Hamlet, Horatio and a funeral undertaker. The sequence seemed to contradict the seriousness of the play.
The sudden appearance of a mime troupe, which is about to stage a play after receiving an invitation from young Hamlet, also seemed kind of gimmicky.
As Hamlet, Surojit Bandyopadhyay was brilliant. As the protagonist, his lines, gestures and engagement with the other characters were apt. Among others, Gautam Dey as Claudius, Dyuti Ghosh Haldar as Ophelia and Shyamol Chakrovarty as Polonius did well. The cast also included Nandini Bhoumick and Surojit Ghosh.
Joy Sen's light design sometimes worked well with the actors' appearances, moods and gestures. The use of light during the appearance of the ghost of Hamlet's father was brilliant. At times though, it seemed to be overpowering. Shomik Pial did the set and art direction.
The huge set suggests that the play is a big-budget production by the troupe.