Hamlet // Benedict Cumberbatch {Theater}

Quick note on Hamlet, with Benedict Cumberbatch at the Barbican.

First of all, what the hell National Theater, are you allergic to money? This (and most other NT Live film recordings) are only available on limited single-day runs at tiny local theaters; they will never be released on DVD.

My big thing with Shakespeare (not that I'm a connoisseur) is how most performances end up sounding so unnatural -- the feeling might be there, and the words might be well delivered, but they seem disconnected from each other.

Cumberbatch (Hamlet) was actually very natural in most of this production, especially the conversational and comedic sections, although I wish he'd slow down and let us see his conflict during the soliloquies. Sian Brook (Ophelia) actually seemed like she was connecting with her lines, although I didn't like the way she chose to interpret the character. Ciarán Hinds (Claudius) was appropriately dramatic, but he speachified the whole time -- his conversations never felt like he was actually conversing with the other actors. I liked their take on Horatio (Leo Bill). Rosencrantz (Matthew Steer) and Guildenstern (Rudi Dharmalingam) were very natural and heartfelt. Polonius (Jim Norton) stole. the. show.