Macphail Centre, Ullapool, 23 March 2010

Euan Cuthbertson as Hamlet

THAT STUDENTS made the journey from the RSAMD in Glasgow to Ullapool in order to perform the Bard’s work is to be applauded. The endeavour has the makings of a true cultural exchange – one which enhances understanding between north and south or rural and urban. It could also inspire young people to take up a career in the arts.

However, modern Shakespearean production poses an immense challenge to actors. Famous quotes which live on in every day modern discourse give us some key into the text, but we need a lot of help from the cast.

The language remains largely archaic and unfamiliar to our ears. We are told his plays were the soap operas of the Elizabethan era, written for the masses, but they are now classified as high culture and buying a ticket to see one is an act of commitment to making an intellectual effort.

Actual vocal production was excellent across the board. Resonance and volume were both commendable, but there was a lack of clear diction and the pace of the piece needs to be completely re-examined. Galloping through difficult lines gives the audience little time to get to grips with the text.

It also robs actors of the opportunity to react. There were moments when the cast did remember to listen to each other and to develop an emotional response. At those points the engagement of imagination became contagious.

In the role of the ghost of the dead king, Ciara Clifford had the courage to take her time and trust that we would award her attention. Her expectation paid off and she surmounted obstacles of age and gender, drawing a vivid portrait of a tortured spectre.

Gertrude, played by Emma Claire Brightlyn, was also stately and composed rather than frenetic, and there were others who dared to punctuate their efforts with an occasional pause. Vanessa Coffey also deserves a mention for her slick portrayal of Horatio.

Somehow young actors need to remember their newly acquired technical skills at the same time as stepping beyond the confines of a choreographed routine.

Euan Cuthbertson, who played Hamlet, made a good fist of a difficult role. A couple of times he was overtaken by a burst of spontaneity, fuelled by energetic playfulness. Strange to say but tragedy needs to be approached with a lightness of touch, and maybe this was a little over-rehearsed. Despite some shortcomings, all the elements of a dynamic show are there waiting to be kindled into life.

© Jenny McBain, 2010

Links

• RSAMD
• Macphail Centre