THE HANGOVER REPORT – Eddie Izzard feels her way through a solo HAMLET, resulting in a strangely muted rendition of the play

Eddie Izzard in “Hamlet” at the Greenwich House Theater (photo by Carol Rosegg).

Last night, Eddie Izzard’s ambitious and highly anticipated solo rendition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet opened Off-Broadway at the Greenwich House Theater. The show arrives in New York on the heels of her solo take on Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, which enjoyed a sold out run at the same theater this time last year.

So how does Izzard fare in her solo undertaking of one of the most monumental works of Western drama? Well, at least at this current juncture, the show at the Greenwich House is a mixed bag. More storyteller than properly trained actor, Izzard’s casual reading rarely dig beyond skin deep, rendering the Bard’s poetry only occasionally penetrating and the characters relatively indistinguishable from each other (that being said, her strength as a storyteller was actually an asset in the more plot-driven Great Expectations). The overall cadence of the performance is a gentle one — Izzard caresses rather than takes command of Shakespeare’s text, at times to beguiling effect, but more often the result is strangely muted. If anything, I wish Izzard could have imbued the performance with more of the pointed humor and personality that established her an international star in the first place.

As with last year’s Great Expectations, the production has been shrewdly directed by Selina Cadell, who does all she can to give Izzard the support as she feels her way through the play (e.g., the design team’s contextualizing lighting and sound). Given the considerable popularity of the British comedian, tickets are unsurprisingly scant for Hamlet‘s extended run at the Greenwich House. But be forewarned — for someone’s first exposure to Shakespeare’s masterwork, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend Izzard’s largely dull version.

SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED

HAMLET
Off-Broadway, Play
Greenwich House Theater
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through March 10

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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