Review: 'Hamlet' still a great Dane in APT's energetic new production

By Angelica Euseary, The Cap Times

Featuring over 30,000 words, “Hamlet” has the distinction of being the longest of Shakespeare’s 37 plays — Kenneth Branagh's 1996 unabridged film version ran over four hours. But with an energetic cast, dramatic momentum and a tightened script, American Players Theatre’s new production is enjoyable and engaging.

It is running at The American Players Theatre through October 8. Directed by James DeVita, who played the villainous Claudius in APT’s last production of “Hamlet’ in 2013, this Shakespeare classic features Nate Berger in the title role.

The story begins with a conversation between guardsmen for a castle in Elisnore, Denmark. As Franscisco (Eduardo Xavier Cirley-Carrillo) and Barnardo (Matthew Benenson Cruz) switch shifts, they see the Ghost of Hamlet’s father, King Hamlet (David Daniel).

Hamlet learns from his father’s ghost that his uncle Claudius (Triney Sandoval) killed his father to take the throne and is plotting against him. He is also enraged with his mother, Gertrude (Colleen Madden) for marrying his uncle two months after his father died.

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