Swapnasandhani’s interest in interpreting European classics and uncovering contemporary resonances in them were manifested, yet again, in Hamlet. Coming a decade after the cutting-edge treatment of Macbeth, which criticised the first year of Mamata Banerjee’s reign in West Bengal, Hamlet foregrounds the hero’s indecisiveness. The translation, however prosaic, remains faithful to William Shakespeare’s original. Adequate cuts have been made, keeping the sub-plots at bay and sparing the local political registers altogether. But the inexplicable decision to reverse the gender of Polonius — without taking advantage of the assertive actress (Ditipriya Sarkar) playing the part — disturbs the balance of Shakespeare’s plot to such an extent that the hero’s apparent madness looks all the more baffling.
At Girish Mancha on July 10, the stage — with a gigantic human skull filled with waste material in the centre and an old-fashioned telephone receiver down-centre — engaged with symbols by staying faithful to the original. In fact, the beginning, with an emphasis on embryonic symbolism, was brilliantly executed. The costumes — mostly black-and-white and more ornate than usual — revealed the director’s desire to put up a spectacular show. The light design and a soundscape peppered with contemporary notes pepped up the presentation. Swapnasandhani’s expertise in invigorating the stage space with a chorus was also evident.
Only the tragic impact was missing. Riddhi Sen’s casting as Hamlet looked promising to start with. Underlining Dionysian principles with the agile moves of an under-dressed hero was a conscious choice which ultimately paid little dividend. Kaushik and Reshmi Sen were comfortable playing the king and the queen, but Surangana Bandyopadhyay’s Ophelia lacked passion. In spite of the group’s impressive track record, some key scenes failed to make a solid impact. Crucial scenes, such as the gravedigger’s scene, bombed because of inept acting. With the momentum falling precariously towards the end, all our hopes were pinned on the finale. The wait did not pay off as the HamletHoratio bonding remained half-baked.
