Confusion and Absurdity

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

Sent for by Claudius to discover the reason for his nephew’s madness, Hamlet’s two childhood friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, find themselves in a world of confusion and absurdity. They’ve been told to find Hamlet, their childhood friend, and figure out what’s bothering him. The young men run into a troupe of actors who are playing roles in a production of HAMLET. A line between reality and theatricality merge and separate and, while there’s no real plot in this 90-minute performance, there’s a score of images that come and go throughout. Tom Stoppard’s fascinating and perplexing one-act explores free will, how fate plays a role in everyone’s lives and the inevitability of death that comes to each of us.

 This challenging production, directed by Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director Charles Newell, is much like Theatre of the Absurd. It’s a perplexing story, but a feast for the eye and ear. Tom Stoppard is a master of the English language. He’s undoubtedly one of the most respected and famous contemporary British playwrights today. ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD is probably his best-known play, but some of his other theatrical masterpieces include THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND, TRAVESTIES, JUMPERS, DIRTY LINEN AND NEW-FOUND LAND, ROCK ’N’ ROLL  and his most recent Broadway hit, LEOPOLDSTADT. 

The two titular characters in this play eventually come to realize that they’re in a play, a metadrama. This genre calls attention to the fact that it is only a play, not real life. It’s simply a piece of theatre and the actors are part of a performance. Metatheatre breaks all the rules, making the play more immersive and seeking to engage the audience more deeply. 

As in scores of other contemporary plays, Stoppard often breaks the fourth wall, allowing his two young main characters to speak directly to the audience. Theatergoers are continually made aware that they’re watching a play. Even in Shakespeare’s HAMLET, the melancholy Dane views himself as being in a play. Whereas he’s genuinely mourning the death of his father, the King, Hamlet sees everyone around him as only pretending to act with grief. In this play, Stoppard presents a sort of parody of HAMLET, especially in terms of death, the theme that’s common in both plays. Stoppard uses games and the players to show that life may not provide any answers and that people just have to do the best they can with what they can’t control.

As in most every production at the Court Theatre, the cast is impeccable. But without a doubt, the power, passion and unexpected humor of this production must be credited to Nate Burger, as Rosencrantz, and Erik Hellman, as Guildenstern. These two gifted, popular and highly respected Chicago actors absolutely own the stage in this play. Both Burger and Hellman will be familiar faces to avid theatergoers because they’ve appeared in dozens of productions all around Chicago, both at the Court and other venues. In this production, both actors are simply remarkable. One of their funniest recurring bits is that, like the audience, the two actors can’t remember which of them is which character. 

The supporting cast consists of some of Chicago’s finest performers. Lorenzo Rush, Jr. heads up the troupe as the Leading Player. He forcefully takes charge and manages and orchestrates the other actors in the play-within-the-play with authority, enthusiasm and energy. His company of skilled actors playing roles in HAMLET include Blake Hamilton as Hamlet, Amir Abdullah as Claudius, Elizabeth Ledo as Gertrude, Rob Lindley as Polonius and Charence Higgins as Ophelia.

The look of this production is very dramatic. It’s stark and bold, colored in black, white and red. Keith Parham’s Lighting Design strongly captures all the imagery and emotion. Rueben D. Echoles’ Wig and Hair Design Concepts, along with Raquel Adomo’s imaginative, yet ultra contemporary, Costume Design further supports the director’s vision. John Culbert’s sparse Scenic Design furthers the imagery with his multiple doorways, Black benches, a large beach umbrella and some enormous draperies, as the only set pieces. They are used effectively and creatively, making us focus primarily on the actors. And kudos to Marissa Fenley for her Shadow Puppet advisory that plays a huge part in this presentation.

This production probably won’t appeal to everyone, but certainly to theatergoers who enjoy plays that really challenge the intellect while offering entertainment. It’s a long one-act filled with confusion and absurdity, experienced both by the characters and the audience. Charles Newell’s production is stunning, both visually and audibly, and features an accomplished and talented cast of actors, particularly Nate Burger and Erik Hellman. This play is, indeed, a tour de force for two of Chicago’s finest actors. 

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented March 29-April 21 by the Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the theatre box office, by calling 773-753-4472 or by going to www.CourtTheatre.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.