Hamlet at National Theatre

"Hamlet can be fun. But can it be tragic at the same time? While this latest production at the National Theatre proves the former, it fails to prove the latter. There are laughs throughout and the audience is charmed by the actors' frequent engagement with it, but the cost deaths that lack impact, deeper meaning harder to find might be too great."

"He is a modern prince rotating between Nike shoes and high heeled boots, carrying Louis Vuitton bags, and wearing painted nails, a hooped earring and a beanie. He oscillates between stroppy teenager and cunning rogue, immature but seductive. Abeysekera is a funny and relatable Hamlet, and he brings a fresh energy to the role. He has spoken about how he sees Hamlet as something of a stand-up comedian, and he uses this interpretation to his advantage."

The National Theatre production emphasizes comedy, generating frequent laughs and strong audience engagement while undercutting tragic weight. Hiran Abeysekera portrays a modern, mischievous Hamlet who alternates between stroppy teenager and cunning rogue, wearing contemporary fashion and addressing the audience like a stand-up comic. The performance foregrounds charm and wit, so soliloquies often feel direct but tongue-in-cheek. Prioritising comedy reduces the play's existential and grieving dimensions, making deaths feel less impactful. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Polonius are played mainly for laughs, the players verge on caricature, and Siobhan Redmond's First Player provides a memorable, more serious counterpoint. Some roles, such as Alistair Petrie as Claudius, are played more straight.

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