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| Hamlet plays through 9/26 in Manassas, VA |
September 21, 2010 - Darrell Poe
For their debut production in the beautiful new Hylton Performing Arts Center, located on George Mason University’s Prince William campus, local theater company Vpstart Crow tackles one of literature’s greatest tragedies – William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The tale of the young Danish Prince is told in a modern setting – think Hamlet meets The Sopranos with a side of Jersey Shore.
The Gregory Family Theater makes a great first impression, and Rob Batarla’s clean, modern set fits well within it. Without a doubt, this is one of Vpstart Crow’s best productions in recent years – a fitting house warming to welcome us to their new home. The acting talent is some of the best I’ve seen locally – a few new faces and several veterans of the local stage.
Matthew Marcus takes on the well worn role of Hamlet, following in the footsteps of Sir Laurence Olivier, Mel Gibson, and Kenneth Branagh – among thousands. Certainly no easy task, but one Marcus has clearly approached thoughtfully, and performed compellingly. He commands your attention whenever he’s on stage, pulls you along on his mad journey to vengeance, and ultimately, to Hamlet’s own tragic demise. His direct address is engaging, and his interaction on stage with the well rounded ensemble is natural and believable at every turn. In equal turns humorous and serious, heartwarming and heartbreaking.
Bethany Goodell steps confidently and competently into the role of Ophelia – both the object of Hamlet’s affections, and the unwitting victim of his hubris. In typical Shakespearean fashion Ophelia’s father, Polonius (smartly played by new comer Kevin Walker) is accidentally killed by Hamlet – although the circumstances are questionable at best. When Ophelia learns of her father’s death she is driven past the brink of sanity, and Goodell’s portrayal of this turn is absolutely riveting. Her performance strides confidently along the precipice of credible emotion – it’s a huge bet, and it pays off.
Donning the role of Laertes, Ophelia’s protective brother, is Vpstart veteran and local talent - James Majewski. Majewski brings a surprising blend of swagger and reverence to Laertes in the early scenes. While I question some of the blocking, Majewski personifies gripping, palpable, authentic rage in the funeral scene. A bit disturbing? Yes - but unquestionably compelling, and entertaining to watch.
The fencing duel is a fine bit of fight choreography, capably handled by Marcus and Majewski, and credibly incorporated into the modern setting.
Batarla’s sound design, however, leaves a great deal (or a great deal less) to be desired. Accompanying the actor’s at various points throughout is a somewhat distracting and uneven underscore. At times tolerable, but more often I felt it robbed the actor’s of their opportunity to transport the audience. In an early scene between Ophelia and Laertes, I found myself removed from the scene by the low-quality, midi-composed score. It’s dissonance with the apparent production value of the play, and the considerable talent of the cast is actually somewhat baffling.
The supporting cast all play their parts well with delightful subtleties that weave a rich backdrop for the tragedy that unfolds. Not once was I taken out of the experience by an actor’s delivery – no mean feat for a local theater company producing Hamlet in the shadow of The Washington Shakespeare Company.
All in all, I give a resounding “Bravo!” to Vpstart Crow, director Rob Batarla, and his very talented cast.
Hamlet is playing through 9/26 – for details and tickets visit the Hylton Performing Arts Center Box Office online at
HyltonCenter.org, in person at 10900 University Boulevard, Manassas, VA 20110, or by phone at 1.888.945.2468
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September 29, 2010 by Darrell Poe
