HAMLET A Commedia dell’ Arte adaptation of Shakespeare’s Famous Tragedy
Hamlet is a Commedia dell’ Arte adaption of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy as you have never seen it before. A short and punchy 100 minute show packed full of larger than life characters and physicality, clever and adaptable stagecraft and a diverse troupe of 5 actors who multi-role to bring this tragic tale to new and relevant life in two stunning outdoor venues will make for an unforgettable experience.
Hamlet – Set in 1939 in Copenhagen, Denmark with the world on the precipice of World War Two, the famous Circus Belli is enjoying the height of its success.
After the sudden death of their Ringmaster Hamlet senior, his brother Claudius takes both the whip as the new Ringmaster and owner of the circus Gertrude as his new wife. Left alone in the grief of losing his father, seeing him so easily replaced and his mother so quickly remarried, young Hamlet is visited by the ghost of his father commanding he seek revenge on his uncle Claudius who murdered him.
And so the descent of our story begins. As Hamlet seeks avenues to enact his revenge the darkness of his intentions spreads through the circus like a disease and the facade of the showy world of Circus begins to crack dragging everyone into the maelstrom and no one is immune. Hamlet, the Circus and Denmark are all symbolically connected in their demise as we witness Hamlet driven to his end by revenge, the demise of Circus as the pre-eminent form of entertainment as television dawns on the horizon, and the demise of Denmark into World War Two as their peaceful neutrality is ripped away by Germany. Does history
repeat itself or will this time be different?
Set in two stunning outdoor spaces; the Garden for the Future in Bendigo and The Fairfield Amphitheatre in Melbourne, audiences are encouraged to bring a picnic of food and drink, comfortable seating and prepare for the weather (camp chairs and blankets for green grass in Bendigo, and rugs and cushions for the stone steps of Fairfield) making this a truly wonderful night out at the theatre.
Sheoak Productions is a fledgling Victorian based company dedicated to creating new stories and breathing new life into existing ones with dynamism and engaging style.
Artistic Director Scott Middleton founded the company in 2021 and after a successful pitch to the VCAA for VCE students to study as part of their curriculum, they produced Two Gents that same year and followed it’s success with their second production,
Midsummer produced in 2022. With a desire to continue exploring the fusion of Shakespeare and Commedia dell’Arte, but this time with a Tragedy instead of a Comedy, the idea for Hamlet was born and once more successfully accepted to the Playlist for the enjoyment of both the students studying it and the general public of all ages as well.
Season Details
Venue: Garden for the Future| Bendigo
Date: 26 Feb – 02 Mar 2024
Venue: Fairfield Amphitheatre| Melbourne
Date: 04 – 15 Mar 2024
For more information click Here
