Shakespeare + Radiohead = Mesmerising!
Not my usual scribbling about a grass roots venue or an emerging artist, however this did feel like quite a niche event. Being both a fan of Radiohead and Shakespeare, when the news of Thom Yorke working on a reworking of Hamlet with ‘Hail to the Thief’ as a soundtrack dropped, my interest was most definitely piqued.
So having nabbed one of the £10 tickets I picked up trusty Senior Railcard and booked a little trip to Stratford upon Avon.
This was my first time visiting Will’s hometown so this was doubling up as a sight seeing adventure.
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre was very close to my hotel, The Queens Head, and situated by the canal in swan filled park. I opted for ‘lodgings’ that felt more apt to the environment and activity – ergo an ‘Olde Worlde Style Inn’. Great pub, low ceilings, cosy room and friendly staff. However, be prepared for noise bleed until closing time if you book here. The actual town is very pretty with the theatre offering food and drinks al fresco. The perfect place to watch the bustle of the park life and snap a few swans prior to the show.
The Show
No photos permitted during the play, but I did snap the stage layout beforehand. As my usual pre-performance state is standing in anticipation and trepidation that I have picked the right spot for capturing the action with my heavy camera poised, sitting on a balcony seat and waiting in stillness to be entertained is rare and thrilling – and a luxury.
There is something quite unnerving about being in the room as actors perform live to their invisible audience. It is a feeling of vulnerability or nakedness, on both sides of the fourth wall I would imagine. So much of reality has to be stripped away.
I was transfixed from the offset (other than being momentarily distracted by Thom grabbing a place in the audience a few seats from mine). The mix of powerful yet nuanced performances, stunning choreography, and the Hail to the Thief soundtrack was spellbinding. With its overwhelming body count and complex power plays, Hamlet can leave the audience reeling from moment to moment. Add to this the music of Radiohead, performed by musicians gradually appearing in a ghost like fashion from slowly illuminated glass cells in the backdrop, (thus echoing the ever present haunting of Hamlet’s father) I was mesmerised throughout. Blink – and the skilled touch of the magical lighting wizardry would cause me to miss something definitive.
One impressive aspect of this version was how a play that can run for over four hours was condensed down to under two, but still retained all of the elements within the constant unveiling of sinister plotting, murderous secrets, and the descents into madness brought about by grief and/or envy. In an evening full of astounding performances, it was the portrayal of Ophelia by Ami Tredrea that I found particularly compelling.
As this masterpiece of co-creation came to its bloody finale the audience stood up and of course applauded loudly and enthusiastically. A beautiful production from co-creators Christine Jones (co-director and Amp Scenography), Steven Hoggett (co-director) and Thom Yorke (orchestrator). The experience of being there in the room with no AI, no post-production, no after effects added, no opportunities for retakes, and a glorious mix of ancient text combined with current musical innovations – all added up to create what has to be the event of the year for me. I would urge other Radiohead/Shakespeare fans to attend, but sadly its run is over. But should there be another opportunity to experience it – I’ll be there…
