KeatonJohns

Sargent
THEA1513
21October2015
THEA1513ReviewPaper#1
Hamlet
SouthernUtahUniversitys2015productionof
Hamlet
wasatechnicalmasterpiece,to
saytheleast.Itwasvisuallystunning,striking,andspectacular.Asitwasthelastshowonthe
worldfamousAdamsMemorialShakespeareanTheater,thecreativeteamwantedtomakesure
thetheaterwentoutwithabang,andtheymostcertainlyaccomplishedthat.Theoveralldesign
concepttofollowthegenderbentcastingofmanyoftheroleswastotaketheVikingculture
whichcelebratedmatriarchyandimagineifthatempirehadcontinuedandexpandedinto
moderndaytime.Thisconceptgavethedesignersalottoworkwith,buttheexecutionofallthe
designswassuperb.
Tostartoffwith,thesetdesignbyBrianJudeBeacomwasabsolutelygorgeous.Ihad
neverseensuchintricateworkontheAdamsstagebefore.Therewerethesehugeflatshungon
thesecondfloorofthestagethathadabeautifulandspecificdesigntothemmuchlikeaCeltic
knotorsomethingofthatnature,butmorefleshedout.Thereweretwosetsofstairs:thestage
rightstairshadplatformsfortheactorstoplayonandwasmuchbiggerwhilethestageleftstairs
weremoredirectandsmaller.UnderneaththeAdamssecondfloordeckswerethecylindric

poststhathadacoolcolorgradient,switchingfromacoolbluetoasoftred.Nexttothoseposts
andunderthestairsweretwochambersthathadslidingcurtainsinuse.Onstageleft,therewasa
beautifulpaintingforthedeckthathadvariousVikingandCelticsymbolsonitIbelievethis
wasmeanttorepresentPoloniushousespecifically.Iamverymuchofaspectaclepersonwhen
itcomestotheatre,soIwasveryaestheticallypleasedwiththisdesign.OnemajorproblemIhad
withitoccuredinPoloniusdeathsceneGertrudeschamberwasbroughtoutontheslipstage
withachairandastructureonitwithanothercurtain.TheclosetthatPoloniushidindidnt
matchtherestoftheset,andIfeltitwasunnecessary.Thestagerightchamberwithcurtainswas
neverusedintheshow,soImnotsurewhytheydidntusethatforPoloniustohidein.Other
thanthat,Ithoughtthesetdesignwasremarkable.
Thehair,makeup,andcostumingbyEllenOsborneKempwasalsoexquisite.Therewere
manyScandinavianelementsinherdesignwhichsheexpandedupon.Mypersonalfavorite
costumingwasforthecharacterLaertes,playedbySelenaPrice.Hercostumewasmostly
differentshadesofblue,andtherewasastunningsortofhalfcapethatdrapedoverherleft
shoulder.Herbodiceconsistedofaroyalbluelacedtopandagoldenandbluecorset,whichwas
trulyincredible.Alongwithherbraidedhairandfiercemakeup,IwasremindedoftheNavi
aliensfromthefilm
Avatar
KempsoveralldesignofLaertestrulyhelpedmebelievethe
charactermore,andIbelievethatithelpedSelenacraftthatcharacteraswell.Thedesignforthe
characterHamletwasbeautifulaswellHamletstayedinverydarkandmutedcolorswhilestill

havingaroyalsheentothem.Hamletsopeningcostume,specificallyherhairandcrown,were
perfectforthesetting.Shehadthesetwostrandsofbraidedhairinthefrontwithhercrown
cuspingititgaveaveryuniqueregalandroyallookwhichIfoundtobebeautiful.Ihad
problemswiththeinconsistencyofthecolors.IwouldhavehadPoloniusfamilyallbeinthe
samecolororcolorfamily,andhavetheroyalfamilyhaveasimilarcolorschemetoo.The
differentcharactersjusthadaspecificcoloroftheirown:Hamletwasblack,Opheliawasgreen,
Poloniuswasteal,Laerteswasblue,andsoon.ThedesignforTheMurderofGonzagoalso
threwmeoff.Theyweredressedinallblacks,butithadmoreofarockconcert/steampunkfeel
toit,andIfounditconfusing.Whiletheywereperforminganoriginalrockoperawrittenbycast
memberBrandonGrayson,itshouldhavematchedtheaestheticoftherestoftheshow.The
costumes,hair,andmakeupwereactuallymypersonalfavoriteaspectoftheshow.
ThelightingdesignbyAndieSzekelywasoneofakind.Szekelyhasatruegiftof
creatingworksofartsonstagethroughherlighting,allwhilerespectingtheothervisualaspects
oftheshow.WheneverHamletwoulddeliveroneofhericonicsoliloquies,thestagewouldoften
bedimmedtonearblackwithonlyagobopatternofgreencirclesilluminatingthefloorwitha
spotlightonHamlet.Thiswasoneofthemostgorgeousaspectsoftheshowitreallygaveusthe
sensethatweweregoingdeepintoHamletspsyche.Ifeltthatsomeofthelightingwastoodark
becauseIcouldnotseetheactorsfacesinsomeofthemostintenseparts.Thisevenoccurred

duringHamletssoliloquiessometimesthespotlightonhershouldhavebeenbrighter,andthe
illuminationofthestageshouldhavebeenbrightertoofortheactorssakes.
Ithoroughlyenjoyedwatchingthisproductionof
Hamlet
.Seeingallthehardworkofthe
designerscometofruitionafterhearingsomuchaboutitforsolongwasaremarkable
experience.