Words, Words, Words

Hamlet

Following an extended successful run in New York City, comedian Eddie Izzard is bringing her solo adaptation of Hamlet to Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Whether or not you are familiar with Shakespeare or with Eddie Izzard’s comedy, I can strongly recommend you see this unique production.

One person shows are a tricky proposition. There’s nowhere to hide if you miss a line. There’s no fellow actor to cover you. Even when they work, there’s a risk that they still end up as little more than a gimmick. Part of the joy of theater for me is watching people interact, watching a relationship unfold and change on stage. I’m happy to report that Izzard’s interpretation of Hamlet transcends mere gimmick. The reason for this is that each character is so instantly and fully realized that Izzard still manages to convey the relationships between these characters, even if the relationships are ultimately with herself.

I went in with pretty high expectations, particularly for the comedic bits, and Izzard more than delivered. Scenes of the gravediggers at work or Polonius pontificating were all great. I won’t spoil it here, but the way Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were realized was a stroke of genius that, almost alone, justifies seeing this show. I was not ready for how gutting the quieter, sadder moments would be. The classic “To Be or Not to Be” soliloquy and Ophelia’s breakdown were particularly effective. She really captured the grey space between pretending to be mad versus actually going mad that Hamlet lives in, and her portrayal of Ophelia’s loss is so devastating that it makes the machinations of the other characters seem petty by comparison. More than anything, Izzard made the words feel lived in, rather than just recited by the characters. The language of Shakespeare is obviously beautiful, but in less capable hands, that beauty creates distance rather than connection. Izzard infused the words with the energy and humanity to make the poetry feel natural.

I’ve been a huge fan of Eddie Izzard for years. One of her early specials, Dressed to Kill, remains a personal favorite and, in my opinion, a contender for best stand up special of all time. I’ve seen it a dozen times and it still makes me laugh like it’s the first. I think the core of the success of this production is the Eddie Izzard from that show is fully present in this one. There’s not Eddie Izzard the comedian being set aside for Eddie Izzard the actor. The cadence and humor and perspective that made that earlier show a success are fully present here. There were several moments where a character said something and it reminded me of the beat of a joke I’d heard years ago. I think the most successful actors don’t find a way to hide themselves under a character; they find a way to bring themselves most fully to a character, and even though she was performing 23 of them, Izzard nailed it every time. I wasn’t watching Eddie Izzard perform Hamlet. I was watching Eddie Izzard inhabit Hamlet.

Even a solo show is the result of the work of many others. The behind the scenes crew did amazing work on this show. Tom Piper’s minimal set, bare marbled walls with slit windows serves as castle, courtyard and graveyard with ease. Lighting designer Tyler Elich achieves a lot with a little. It’s another feat I am choosing not to spoil, but the way they achieved the ghost of Hamlet’s father was simple but incredibly effective. Lastly, I will praise Izzard’s brother Mark, who helped adapt the show. An unabridged production runs for nearly four hours, which I think in this format would be torture for both the performer and the audience. The show runs for two hours and twenty minutes including the intermission, keeping the show brisk without missing any classic moments.

Eddie Izzard is a naturally talented comedian and performer, and even if this were just an exercise in self indulgence, I would probably still have rushed to see it. Happily, this performance was much, much more than that. In the intimate space at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, I got to watch that talented performer explore the work of a great writer with intelligence and wit and above all, joy.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Kevin Curran

Presented April 19 – May 4 at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, 800 E. Grand, Chicago.

Tickets can purchased at chicagoshakes.com.

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