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Hamlet
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Ronan Marra
Produced by Signal Ensemble Theatre
At Chopin Theatre
1543 W. Division
Chicago, IL
Call 773-347-1350, tickets $15 - $20
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 3 hours, 20 minutes with 2 intermissions
Through May 26, 2007
Classic full length Hamlet masterfully performed.
Signal Ensemble Theatre’s director Ronan Marra has mounted a superb Hamlet complete with a wonderful set (designed by Melania Lancy) and excellent period-perfect costumes (designed by Laura M. Dana) and featuring 16 of the finest non-Equity actors in Chicagoland. Christopher Prentice is amazingly effective as the Danish Prince playing him with confidence and an acute and glib understanding of the complexity that Shakespeare wrote into the character. Prentice demonstrates his mastery of one of the toughest roles in theatre. His Hamlet is a true tour de force as he deftly moves Hamlet in and out of apparent insanity as he plots revenge on his uncle. Prentice has, indeed, put his mark on Hamlet that we’ll not soon forget.
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Director Ronan Marra has assembled a wonderful, articulate cast and his staging keeps the mood (terrific lighting by Julie E. Ballard) and sound with original music underscoring by Anthony Ingraham) mysterious in a smart, ambitious and worthy classic interpretation of the beloved Hamlet. This show is far more than storefront Shakespeare—it is excellent Shakespeare! I was engaged from the opening speech and the production kept me occupied throughout the 3 hours. Who says low budget non-Equity troupes can’t mount grand-scale Shakespeare? Not the craftsmen at Signal Ensemble—their chutzpah and talent allows this seminal revenge tragedy to sparkle.
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Following the death of his father, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his uncle now occupies the throne and the queen’s bed. The ghost of his father informs him that his uncle murdered him and begs Hamlet toward revenge. Hamlet is a character study and portrait of a complex man with whom we must decide if he is insane or crafty like a fox? 
Signal Ensemble offers many outstanding performances such as Don Bender’s Claudis, Meredith Siemsen’s Gertrude, Aaron Snook’s Laertes, Joseph Stearns’ Horatio and Philip Winston’s First Gravedigger. Erin Meyers landed Ophelia’s insanity scenes nicely while Vincent L. Lonergan’s Polonius was playfully effective. Lonergan did his finest work here. The entire cast blended together to offer an effectively strong, articulate and reverent treatment of a classic.
This is a major Shakespeare production worthy of your time. At only $20 per ticket ($15 for students) this is an entertainment value. Bring your teens to see this marvelous Hamlet—it’ll make them Shakespeare fans for life. Kudos to Signal Ensemble Theatre for delivering such clarity and energy to Hamlet. Classic theatre can be engaging—just see this show and you’ll see how it’s done.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2007
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