Theater Online - New York Theater Reviews

Gerry Goodstein ©2025  Christian Camargo

One of the problems with productions of Shakespeare in this country is that directors often feel the need to tart things up, as if they do not trust the text enough to stand on its own without devices such as intrusive music or projected graphics that crawl up walls during scenes. These additions actually do the opposite: they distract from the text, so that some of gorgeous language is thrown away, or lost. Theatre for a New Audience has largely avoided this trap, particularly with their recently acclaimed “Othello,” directed by Arin Arbus.

Gerry Goodstein ©2025  Christian Camargo in the title role and Jennifer Ikeda as Ophelia

With “Hamlet,” however, director David Esbjornson relies more on special effects rather than concentrating on getting strong performances out of his cast. His palette, in shades of silver and grey, seems to suggest style over substance (and the period he has chosen to set his “Hamlet” is unclear), which this play, one of the finest in the English language, does not need. He does a disservice in particular to Christian Camargo, who makes a very fine Hamlet, and mostly, goes it alone.

The King of Denmark has died and in the two-month interim, his widow Gertrude (Alyssa Bresnahan) has married his brother Claudius (Casey Biggs, miscast) angering her son, Prince Hamlet considerably. His friend Horatio (the fine Tom Hammond) spies the ghost of Hamlet’s father (Jonathan Fried); later, Hamlet also sees the ghost, who tells him he was poisoned by Claudius and to exact revenge on him. In the subplot, the king’s advisor, Polonius (the wonderful Alvin Epstein), has two children: Ophelia (Jennifer Ikeda) and Laertes (Graham Hamilton.) Hamlet loves the young Ophelia, but she has been told to spurn him, as she is an underling, adding to his confusion. Hamlet is moody and insolent; Claudius wants to know what he thinks. After Hamlet interferes with The Players, illuminating his thoughts, he is sent away to England with schoolfellows-turned- spies Rosencrantz (Craig Pattison) and Guildenstern (Richard Topol), but he returns, and they do not. Chaos ensues.

Gerry Goodstein ©2025  Alvin Epstein as Polonius and Christian Camargo in the title role.

Camargo is a natural Hamlet; he has a sinuous voice, and speaks the language beautifully and with nuance, without sacrificing meaning. He understands the poetry of Shakespeare, but never gets carried away. He is tall, dark and rangy, imposing when need be. His best moments onstage are when he is alone, during the introspection of the soliloquies (“To be or not to be” begins in total darkness, showcasing his considerable vocal talents) and when he is paired with his match in this production, Alvin Epstein. Epstein is a natural for the same reasons Camargo is; he speaks with such effortlessness that one is aware of the poetry without losing the meaning. And he is genuinely funny.

Casey Biggs’ Claudius misses the unctuousness of the part. Alyssa Bresnahan’s poor Gertrude has been trussed up to look like an ex-Miss America, with four-inch heels and constricting costumes that made her look rigid and uncomfortable. Only when the shoes came off, in her chamber with Hamlet, did Gertrude begin to take on color. Jennifer Ikeda’s Ophelia has a lovely voice, probably trained with a good vibrato, but that is not what I should be thinking during her mad scene. If Ophelia does not break your heart, then both actor and director have failed, but the onus is on the latter. Jonathan Fried’s ghost was over played, bogged down by being over-miked and I did not understand the beings garbed in black Halloween get-up when he exited. Projected graphics on the stage were unnecessary, as was the loud, intrusive music.

When will directors understand that the play is the thing“ Camargo and Epstein do. Perhaps they should consider adding directing to their already accomplished skills.