Hamlet Barbican

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Synopsis of Hamlet (Barbican Production)

The 2015 Barbican Theatre production of Hamlet, directed by Lyndsey Turner and starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role, brought Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy to life through a visually striking and emotionally resonant interpretation.

The story remains centered on Prince Hamlet of Denmark, who is haunted by the ghost of his father, King Hamlet, demanding revenge for his murder by Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius. Claudius has seized the throne and married Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, creating a web of political and personal betrayal that pushes Hamlet into a spiral of grief and existential questioning.

This production opened unconventionally, with Hamlet seen mourning in his room rather than with the traditional ghost scene, setting an introspective and somber tone from the start. The ghost’s appearance later in the play added suspense and shifted the narrative flow. Cumberbatch’s Hamlet was marked by youthful vulnerability, emotional intensity, and flashes of wit, making his journey from grief to vengeance particularly poignant.

The set, designed by Es Devlin, was a key feature of the production. The grand, decaying Elsinore Castle symbolized the collapse of Hamlet’s world. The visual spectacle intensified as the castle literally fell apart during the play, mirroring Hamlet’s unraveling psyche. Modern and traditional elements blended seamlessly in the design, providing a timeless backdrop for the drama.

The supporting cast also added depth to the narrative. Sian Brooke portrayed Ophelia with heartbreaking fragility, particularly during her descent into madness. Ciarán Hinds as Claudius and Anastasia Hille as Gertrude added gravitas to the royal intrigues, emphasizing the moral and emotional stakes.

The Barbican’s Hamlet was a bold and contemporary reimagining of Shakespeare’s masterpiece, focusing on themes of isolation, grief, and the corrosive effects of revenge. It captivated audiences both in the theatre and around the world through its National Theatre Live broadcast, cementing its place as one of the most memorable modern adaptations of Hamlet.

CAST AND CREATIVE

Plot Summary of Hamlet (Barbican Production)​

The Barbican Theatre’s 2015 production of Hamlet remained faithful to Shakespeare’s original five-act structure while introducing creative staging and modern sensibilities. Below is a detailed summary of each act as it unfolds in this iconic tragedy.   

Act I: The Ghost’s Revelation

The play begins in Elsinore Castle, where guards encounter the ghost of the recently deceased King Hamlet. They summon Prince Hamlet’s friend Horatio, who confirms the sighting and resolves to inform Hamlet.

Meanwhile, Claudius, the new king of Denmark, celebrates his recent marriage to Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet remains deeply disturbed by his father’s death and his mother’s quick remarriage. When Horatio reveals the ghost’s appearance, Hamlet meets the specter, who reveals that Claudius murdered him to seize the throne. The ghost demands Hamlet avenge his death, setting the course for Hamlet’s internal and external struggles.

Act II: Feigned Madness

Hamlet begins to feign madness to obscure his plans for revenge and to gather evidence against Claudius. Polonius, the king’s advisor, mistakenly believes Hamlet’s erratic behavior is due to his unrequited love for Ophelia, Polonius’s daughter. Claudius and Gertrude, concerned about Hamlet’s behavior, summon Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s old friends, to spy on him.

In this act, Hamlet grows increasingly introspective, wrestling with his doubts and suspicions. His feigned madness becomes more erratic, confusing and alarming those around him.

Act III: The Play’s the Thing

Hamlet devises a plan to confirm Claudius’s guilt by staging a play, The Murder of Gonzago, which mirrors the circumstances of King Hamlet’s death. Claudius’s reaction to the play confirms his guilt in Hamlet’s eyes.

After the performance, Hamlet confronts his mother, Gertrude, in her chambers. In a fit of rage, he accidentally kills Polonius, who is hiding behind a curtain, mistaking him for Claudius. The ghost reappears during this confrontation, reminding Hamlet of his mission. Claudius, now aware of Hamlet’s dangerous intentions, plots to send him to England under the pretense of protection, but secretly arranges for his execution.

Act IV: Spiraling Chaos​

As Hamlet is sent to England, Claudius’s schemes begin to unravel. Hamlet cleverly escapes the execution plot, leaving Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their fates. Meanwhile, Ophelia, devastated by her father’s death and Hamlet’s behavior, descends into madness and drowns in what is presumed to be a suicide.

Laertes, Polonius’s son, returns to Denmark seeking vengeance for his father’s and sister’s deaths. Claudius manipulates Laertes’s anger, plotting a duel between Laertes and Hamlet. To ensure Hamlet’s death, Claudius and Laertes conspire to poison both the blade and a drink intended for Hamlet.

Act V: Tragic End​​

The final act begins in a graveyard, where Hamlet reflects on mortality as he holds the skull of Yorick, the court jester. Hamlet learns of Ophelia’s death during her funeral, sparking a confrontation with Laertes.

The play’s climax occurs during the arranged duel between Hamlet and Laertes. The poisoned blade and drink result in a cascade of deaths: Gertrude drinks the poisoned cup, Laertes and Hamlet wound each other with the poisoned blade, and Hamlet forces Claudius to drink the remaining poison. Hamlet succumbs to the poison as well but lives long enough to name Fortinbras of Norway as the rightful heir to the Danish throne. The play ends with Fortinbras arriving to find the royal family dead, symbolizing the devastating consequences of revenge and corruption.

Character Profiles: Hamlet (Barbican Production)

The 2015 Barbican production of Hamlet featured a stellar cast that brought Shakespeare’s iconic characters to life with fresh interpretations and emotional depth. Here’s an overview of the key characters as portrayed in this memorable adaptation:

Prince Hamlet

Portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch
The grief-stricken and contemplative Prince of Denmark is the heart of the play. In this production, Hamlet’s complexity was amplified through Cumberbatch’s deeply human portrayal. He captured the character’s inner conflict—torn between his duty to avenge his father’s murder and his own moral hesitation. Hamlet’s feigned madness was depicted with moments of dark humor and playful eccentricity, set against a backdrop of genuine anguish and frustration.

King Claudius

Portrayed by Ciarán Hinds
The calculating and duplicitous new King of Denmark is both a usurper of the throne and the murderer of Hamlet’s father. Hinds’s Claudius was a commanding presence, exuding an air of authority that masked his guilt and fear. His scenes revealed a layered villain, struggling to maintain control as Hamlet’s pursuit of revenge closed in.

Queen Gertrude

Portrayed by Anastasia Hille
Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, is caught between her son and her new husband. Hille’s portrayal brought out the queen’s vulnerability and her conflicted loyalties. Gertrude’s love for Hamlet was evident, but so was her struggle to navigate the dangerous politics of the court.

Ophelia

Portrayed by Sian Brooke
The daughter of Polonius and Hamlet’s love interest, Ophelia’s tragic descent into madness was a standout performance. Brooke’s Ophelia was tender and emotionally raw, her vulnerability heightened by the intense pressures of court life and Hamlet’s erratic behavior. Her madness, portrayed through fragmented speech and haunting physicality, was a devastating portrayal of a young woman overwhelmed by grief and betrayal.

Polonius

Portrayed by Jim Norton
The verbose and meddling advisor to Claudius, Polonius provided moments of comic relief while embodying the dangers of political overreach. Norton’s portrayal captured Polonius’s wit and foolishness, making his untimely death at Hamlet’s hands all the more tragic.

Laertes

Portrayed by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Ophelia’s protective brother and Polonius’s son, Laertes becomes Hamlet’s adversary after his father’s murder. Holdbrook-Smith’s performance highlighted Laertes’s transformation from a grieving son to a man consumed by vengeance, mirroring Hamlet’s own journey.

The Ghost of King Hamlet

Portrayed by Karl Johnson
The spectral figure of Hamlet’s father set the play’s central conflict in motion. Johnson’s ghost was haunting and authoritative, delivering the revelation of his murder with chilling urgency. His presence lingered over the play, symbolizing the unrelenting call for justice.

Historical Context of Hamlet at the Barbican

The Barbican Theatre’s 2015 production of Hamlet brought Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy to a modern audience, intertwining the historical weight of the play with innovative staging and direction. While Hamlet itself was first performed around 1600-1601, this adaptation highlighted its enduring relevance in the 21st century.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet in Historical Context

Written during the Elizabethan era, Hamlet reflects the political, philosophical, and spiritual anxieties of its time. Questions about the nature of power, morality, and the afterlife permeate the play, as England grappled with political uncertainty and religious shifts. The Danish setting provided Shakespeare with a way to explore these themes at a remove, creating a universal story about revenge, corruption, and the fragility of human life.

The play’s exploration of existential questions, most famously encapsulated in Hamlet’s soliloquy, “To be, or not to be,” has kept it relevant across centuries. It resonates with audiences wrestling with identity, mortality, and the moral dilemmas of action versus inaction.

The Barbican’s Hamlet: A Modern Interpretation

In 2015, the Barbican Theatre reimagined Hamlet for a contemporary audience, under Lyndsey Turner’s direction. While rooted in Shakespeare’s original text, the production reframed the narrative to resonate with modern concerns. The choice to blend traditional elements with modern aesthetics reflected the timeless universality of the play’s themes.

Cultural Impact and Reception

This production also reflected the enduring global influence of Shakespeare’s works. Benedict Cumberbatch’s casting as Hamlet brought international attention, drawing new audiences to the play. The decision to broadcast the production worldwide through National Theatre Live expanded its reach, proving the global relevance of Shakespeare’s exploration of the human condition.

The 2015 Hamlet at the Barbican stood as a bridge between the Elizabethan stage and contemporary theatre, showcasing how Shakespeare’s masterwork continues to speak to the complexities of power, loss, and the human spirit. Through its innovative approach, the production underscored the historical weight of Hamlet while breathing new life into its themes for a modern audience.