Pour a glass of whisky, settle into the sounds of a sax solo and join ‘Little H’ for a new noir take on Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Hamlet. Set in 1940s Los Angeles, this adaptation has a gritty gangster edge, reminiscent of the golden era of Hollywood. The setting may be dark but the comedic twist on the famously tragic play keeps this show incredibly light. Playwright John Minigan has devised a classic whodunnit; taking Hamlet from brooding and vengeful prince to wise talking detective in the city of angels.
Reminiscent of the golden era of Hollywood
This fast-paced play whisks the audience to a dimly lit detective agency, in the thick of the unsolved murder of ‘Big H’. With a mix of move cliches, spoof style humour and gumshoe gun-slinging, this play achieves pitch-perfect comedy akin to the stylings of Leslie Nielsen. Although the themes of family, betrayal and suspicion would lend themselves well to a gritty detective drama; Noir Hamlet takes a refreshingly light-hearted look at the American gangster persona.
The work of Paul Melendy as the enigmatic modern-day Hamlet is a notable highlight. Melendy performs silly soliloquies and slapstick with confidence; creating a well-rounded character that is reminiscent of Will Arnett in his comedic prime. Cristhian Mancinas Garcia also delivers a memorable performance as the plucky ‘girl Friday’, Rae Chio. Garcia commands the stage, avoiding the pitfalls of gender switch stereotypes, to deliver an on-point performance which was a firm audience favourite.
The use of moving set pieces, along with the unfolding plotline and precise dialogue keep this show punchy from start to finish. Noir Hamlet is an alliteration filled hour with a nostalgic look at 1940s cinema classics. The cast brings lively movement and mirth to this well-written piece; bringing new life to Shakespeare’s prose. Though there is madness, there is method in it; Noir Hamlet combines the surreal and the silly for a laughter filled hour of Shakespeare.
