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Rosencrantz
& Guildenstern Are Dead
March
27-29
The Playhouse
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By
Rebecca Ting
The
Director聮s programme notes are painfully conscious of Stoppard聮s
desire for the play to be "a comedy first and foremost",
which is not "taken too seriously". Indeed, by not taking
it too seriously, The Oxford Theatre Guild聮s production of
聭Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead聮 is accessible,
gripping, and at times riotously funny.
The
play examines the world of Hamlet from the point of view of the
two attendant lords, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, moving them from
peripheral roles as puppets of the usurping king, to complex and
appealing characters, who question and attempt to understand their
situation.
Alex
Nicholls聮 wonderfully camped-up Rosencrantz and Matt Addis聮
frustrated and philosophical Guildenstern are superb, compelling
their audience to share in the ridiculous situation in which they
find themselves ensnared. The parts of Hamlet and The Player are
also well acted, but other supporting roles 聳 particularly
The Court - are slightly disappointing, failing to make the portions
of Shakespeare聮s Hamlet (the vital structural framework for
the play), demand the audience聮s attention.
This
being said, the physical comedy is perfect, heightened by incidental
music reflecting the building melodrama. A versatile and cleverly
designed set conveys a variety of locations, from a country road
to a ship, allowing Stoppard聮s stage directions to be followed
"to a T" 聳 including the improbable appearance of
six tragedians from a small barrel!
All
in all, the effect is witty, exciting and vibrant 聳 convincing,
yet certainly not 聭taken too seriously聮.
Stoppard
would approve.
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