ამოსაბეჭდი ვერსია > Bifurcated Hamlet on the Marjanishvili theatre stage

An article on the new staging of “Hamlet” by W. Shakespeare on the stage of Marjanishvili theatre. The director tries to show the spectators all the disasters and calamities that befell upon Danish state and, particularly, upon Hamlet. In this most complicated and “intricate” play few people could solve dilemma “to be or not to be”.

This tragedy is written by Shakespeare so, that every character is as Hamlet sees them; therefore, the author sees everything, on the one hand, with Hamlet’s eyes and, on the other hand, with his own ones. Thus, all spectators are both at the same time – Hamlet and the person, who watches his behavior.

As if T. Kuprava took the spectator onto the stage and allocated him near the actors. From the beginning we participate in the whole action and even hear Hamlet’s and Ofelia’s breath.

The main space of the performance is a pier with some three ascending stairs. There is only an armchair on it – as a symbol of the Royal Throne. This is a road to nowhere – the road which the tragedy characters walk on and find their death sequentially at the end of it – first Ofelia, finally Claudius and even Hamlet – both! Yes, two Hamlets – one of the new methods of the author. Here two Hamlets meet. After this meeting young Hamlet comprehends everything and little-by-little a flame of revenge is flaring up inside him - “time link has been broken and why cursed fate imposed its connection on me”.

“To be or not to be”, read by the actor (K. Roinishvili), the scene with Ofelia and then the Hecuba’s story, told by the wandering actor, assures Hamlet that it’s time for revenge. The Marjanishvili performance is a story about one man, the prince, who found himself in the country, where “Denmark is a jail”. Dying Hamlet thrusts the armchair – the Royal Throne, and throws it down into the abyss, - the throne which was the reason of so many sins and which he didn’t have chance to hold.