Ha Ha Hilarious!

Ha Ha Hamlet. Medina Theatre. Newport, Isle of Wight. 27 September 2008.

I had seen the advert for this play and thought about going…and thought about going…and thought about going… and then did not buy a ticket.

So I was more than a little chuffed when three days before the play I was given a free ticket. Amazing.

I was not quite sure what to expect other than some monumental silliness and felt that it may all become a little carry on.

However I was pleased to be treated to an evening which was monumentally silly, delightfully odd, whimsical, entertaining, funny and surprisingly close to the Shakespearean original.

The stage was simply set with bright red suitcases and a small pros arch seemingly cobbled together at the rear of the stage. We were treated to a little street entertainment; complete with some fine juggling, before the play itself began. We were treated to one raucous moment to the next. The small troupe of three actors proudly announced their level of research including having read several book on Shakespeare and acting!
There was a manic mixture of costume swapping, accents, slapstick and leaping to and fro. Claudius spoke in an over the top Olivier impression, Polonius a broad Scottish accent, Hamlet was a classic comic fool, Laertes had learnt a plethora of French insults.

There were some fine moments of getting the audience involved. We had to cheer riotously every time any one said To be or not to be, boo and hiss at appropriate moments and one poor soul from the front row had to mince up and down the stage as Gertrude.

Wicked Claudius was killed with an umbrella and then had his head put into a microwave- a brilliant bit of stage business that even managed to convince of the head exploding.

It was a fast paced, highly eccentric bit of theatre and I had an absolutely brilliant evening. Rumour has it that more dates will be added to the tour in the spring. This time I shall not hum and ha about getting a ticket. No I shall hum and ha no more and go a Ha Ha Hamleting again.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Saw this too and loved it! Someone told me they're doing Hitler next - gotta see that one!
Ben Langley said…
The Ha Ha Boys! are most certainly doing Ha Ha Hitler! next on a 40 night 2009 autumn tour... check out The Ha Ha Boys! facebook page.

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