I enjoyed this Hamlet. I always love the Theatricumm Botanicum. That said, it is not unusual for the lesser parts (which are played by their acting students) to be noticeably weak. This was surely the case with this production. When I comment on a production, I usually have no qualms about pointing out weak performances. This time I will not. I enjoyed the actors who played Hamlet, and Ophelia. The grave digger was wonderful in all the parts he played. (I have seen him before in various productions and he never fails. It is not the average actor who can give such stellar performances in lesser roles and consistently do so over and over again. I also thought the Usurper King and the Queen were first rate.

As always Ms. Geer uses her set to the maximum advantage. She is a gem.

All that said, my spouse was not of a mind with me. She was not at all pleased with the whole production. Her opinion sprung from her displeasure with the part of Hamlet. She felt his interpretation was too rushed and therefor difficult to understand (even though the play has always been a favorite). Because of her unhappiness with Hamlet, some of my other favorites fell in her judgment as well. She liked Ophelia and loved the grave digger buy was unhappy with almost everyone else.

So this is an example of how two people, with similar tastes, can have a drastically different theater experience.

I do wish that someone could stop the nearby venue that held a really lousy rock concert on the night of the performance. At times it was annoying.

With all that said and done, I think that Theatricum Botanicum is every bit as important an institution and every bit as fun and enjoyable as an evening at the Bowl...... and I, for one, prefer Theatricum Botanicum. Everyone should support it with their presence..... and the chances are that you will have a lovely theater experience.

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This was wonderfully acted and well cast. We loved it. This is a great setting and a perfect place to bring your out of town guests who want to see something "not typical" of Los Angeles. Even my thirteen year old nephew enjoyed it much more than he ever expected!

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Fantastic!! I saw a preview of this play and the actors who play Hamlet (they are both so terrific they alternate) at the pre-season benefit for the Theatricum and I was really impressed with the performance (both times!) The actor in the lead role has figured out a way to say that same old soliloquy we all had to memorize in high school and yet make it sound fresh and new and beautiful and, yes, moving! I didn't think that was even possible. Somehow, the performance made this play so easily understood that it was almost like the actors weren't speaking Elizabethan English! As usual, the venue was lovely. I took my whole extended family (8 or more of us) and everyone loved it!

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I quite enjoyed this--the outdoor space works really well, and there is some great staging and good acting. They use a good cut of the script (Hamlet is almost never performed in its entirety, because it's 4 hours long!), with tight pacing, and the show runs about two and a half hours.

Overall, a very solid production! this is the second Shakespeare show I've seen at Will Geer and I would go back in a heartbeat.

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