My overall impression
What a finely acted fresh take on this sturdy old classic. Hamlet Max was a inventive Hamlet, reduced to 90 minutes and based on the 2nd Quarto which I’d never read before. The edits made to the text left the piece almost stronger than a full edition. It was tighter and more powerful and paced extremely well. Most importantly, the acting and direction was clearly coming from a place of deep understanding of the text. With standout performances by Jonathan Goldstein, Matt Henerson and a riveting performance by director/producer Jacob Sidney as Hamlet himself. What’s more it was a surprise and delight to see a Fringe show with excellent production values. The projections done in a graphic novel/manga style added a visual depth to the production as is rarely seen at a fringe show. The entire conceit of the production was novel without calling attention to itself. Because the focus always came back to the actors and the drama. Truly the best Hamlet I’ve ever seen. This show deserves to go on to a full run so more people can see it.
