Directed by Michael Birtwistle and Playwright-in-Residence Connie Congdon, "Thicker Than Water" premiered last Thursday night.
In this Chekhovian production, Hamlet returns from Wittenberg University to his family's summer home in the Hamptons. His father has died, his uncle has married his mother and his best friend has seen Old Hamlet's ghost. Hamlet must reconcile all of these episodes with himself and decide whether or not he will shoot Claudius, his father's murderer.
By the final act, we realize that Hamlet will not pull the trigger-he can't even do it when no one is around-and so life in the Hamptons drudges on day after day. Although he, Ophelia and Laertes try to escape from the summer house (much as how Chekov's "Three Sisters" long for their romanticized Moscow), they don't quite succeed.
The production explored this novel angle and others. Of particular interest to me was Hamlet's valid complaint that the ghost appeared to Horatio and not to him; when the ghost appears at the conclusion, we learn the truth about the earlier apparition. This leads to more questions and new conceptions of the characters' motives, but Strickman gives us few answers.
The show's major dramatic points were downplayed to a fault. There was little objection to Claudius and Gertrude's relationship even in this modern setting. News of Polonius' death yielded lukewarm responses, perhaps a justified directorial decision in light of the fact that most of the characters found him intolerable. (Then again, a man has died and not by mere accident.) Blood is splattered on Gertrude's robe and yet she carries on without much trouble. And when Horatio rather calmly tells Hamlet that Claudius has murdered his father, Hamlet seethes with anger, which he does consistently throughout the play.
Well-played by UMass student Daniel Lucey, Hamlet may have appeared too angry, but he reacted to what the situation called for though other characters did not necessarily give reason for his reactions. This inconsistent reaction weakened the play; for instance, characters would sometimes state an observation without having looked first.
Still, some players shined. Kathleen Evans '07 as Gertrude was a believable mother concerned about keeping her son and her guests content. I nearly forgot that she was a student. Lisa Smith '09 was a compelling, complex Ophelia. Her romance with Hamlet was convincing and her madness even more so as she smashed ants with her gavel. The bluntness of such lines as, "I went mad while you were gone," reflected the self-consciousness of "Thicker Than Water."
Although Rosencrantz (Sam Guzzardi '07) and Guildenstern (William Cranch '08) developed individual personalities, they were mostly spectators. It was clever then to watch these spectators watching their fellow players. The duo also offerred smart, caustic remarks on the action. So as Strickman channeled Chekov's voice, she also channeled her own with witticisms such as the question, "Do you fish?" and the response, "For compliments." Nevertheless, the chief dramatic conversations were interrupted by these side comments providing comic relief, yes, but the transitions were awkward at times.
The significance of the title itself was not entirely clear to me. The bloodiness references by the title manifested as gory moments on stage-Ophelia biting herself so Laertes could use the blood as ink, for example. Additionally, sounds of waves and thunder-sounds of water-were pervasive throughout the play. Perhaps this water was meant to cleanse the characters of the blood they drew. Yet Hamlet didn't notice Polonius' blood on his arm until Guildenstern pointed it out late in the second act. And even then he made little attempt to wipe it off.
The design elements of the show were appropriate. On the whole, the staging was very balanced. The set and costume designs by Kyle Hunt and Tarja Martikainen respectively were fairly straightforward. The split-level stage indicated the boundary between the interior and exterior of the home in the Hamptons. Sometimes, however, this line was blurred. The cast wore summer beach clothes, while Hamlet was clad in his classic black attire. The screen and rear wall allowed for light to mimic sunsets and sunrises and to color in the act's mood. Kathy Couch was responsible for the lighting design. Having actors manipulate light with remote controls was an interesting choice as well. Again, that self-consciousness.
Did I like the play? I liked that it made me think about Shakespearean characters cast in a Chekhovian light-and that's what plays are supposed to do: provoke insightful questions and discussion with your fellow theatergoers.