Productions of Hamlet, Revision 1

A. Currently viewing

1. 2009 BBC production starring David Tennant.
   • Aeneas’s speech to Dido, performed by the First Player is particularly good, starting at 1:16:55. (Hamlet introduces the idea about 90 seconds earlier at 1:15:30.)
   • First Player aka The Player King played by 80-yr-old veteran of English stage John Woodvine. First time in 30 years I’ve been compelled by the Priam speech. Impressive work.
2. 1990 film version starring Mel Gibson as Hamlet, directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
   • Polonius played by Ian Holm who played Bilbo Baggins in original LOTR trilogy.
   • Queen Gertrude played by Glenn Close. Ophelia played by Helena Bonham Carter.
   • Started watching Thursday 4/03/2025.
3. Station Eleven (2021) from HBO, especially episodes 2 and 10.

B. Need to watch again

1. 1996 Kenneth Branagh major motion picture version. Possibly most unabridged version filmed in the last 30-50 years. Adapted, written for film, directed, and starring Branagh.

C. Recently completed

1. 2018 Almeida Theater production starring Andrew Scott and Jessica Brown Findlay in London. BBC filming available on YouTube.
   • Began watching Saturday, 3/29/2025.
   • Completed first watch Saturday, 4/05/2025.
   • Particularly good Ophelia, both in decisions about writing, directing, acting, stage presence. Played by Jessica Brown Findlay who played Lady Sybil on Downton Abbey. Cries on command just before Hamlet’s “nunnery” tirade. Dramatic transformation of her physical acting and presence from beginning of play to the end (when she is in a wheelchair).
   • Good use of staging and popular music to show the romantic, comedic, and sexual chemistry between King Claudius and Queen Gertrude. They have black and silver celebratory balloons strewn at the beginning of I.2 indicating the ongoing black-tie party atmosphere of their post-wedding.
   • Purchased in Apple TV library.
2. 1948 film version adapted, directed, and starring Laurence Olivier.
   • Began rewatching around 3/22/2025.
   • Completed around 4/03/2025
   • Quite condensed, lots of passages cut out, e.g., initial negotations with King Norway and Young Fortinbras.
   • Even cut out several parts of “Seems madam, nay it is…” 😣
   • Very good fight scene / duel at the end. In some ways, felt like biggest part of the production.
   • Available on HBO Max.

D. Still need to acquire

1. 2015 Manchester theatre production starring Maxine Peake as Hamlet, Gillian Bevan as Polonius. Available on Amazon.
2. 2016 Royal Shakespeare Company starring Paapa Essiedu as Hamlet. Bethan Cullinane is a quite good Guildenstern. Not available regularly, but see this YouTube clip.
3. 2015 version with Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet.
4. 1969 English production directed and adapted by Tony Richardson. Available on YouTube for $4, other options online.
   • Anthony Hopkins as King Claudius.
   • Marianne Faithfuall as Ophelia
   • Judy Parfitt as Queen Gertrude who is just one year older than Thomas Nicol Williamson who plays Hamlet.
   • Nicol Williamson has been called “the Hamlet of his generation” during the late 1960s; and “the greatest actor since Marlon Brando”.

E. Watched a long time ago

• 2000 film starring Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Diane Venora, Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Bill Murray, Steve Zahn. Directed by Michael Almereyda.

F. Other

1. Wikipedia listing of filmed versions of Hamlet.
2. 1964 USSR film, translated to Russian by Boris Pasternak, directed by Grigori Kozintsev.
3. 1964 BBC version “Hamlet at Elsinore” starring Christopher Plummer.
4. 1980 BBC TV production:
   • David Jacobi as Hamlet
   • Claire Bloom as Queen Gertrude
   • Patrick Stewart as King Claudius
   • Lalla Ward as Ophelia
   • Eric Porter as Polonius