Writer: Susanna Hamnett with adapted text from Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Directors: Susanna Hamnett and Joshua MacGregor
With a great theatrical crack of thunder and bolt of lightning, a mother and two adult offspring, a son and daughter, tumble into a hotel room in Denmark. They are the family of the once-great actor, Henry Elder, who was set to perform a career-defining Hamlet solo at the Elsinore Shakespeare Festival before his untimely death. But his last wishes and a call from Festival’s Artistic Director ask if the family are willing to step in for the opening performance tomorrow. Well, are they?
What follows is 75 minutes of quality drama, meta verse and the bard as balm and soother of the soul. As the reluctant siblings comply – the show must go on – we witness art as life and life as art. We deduce the mother may be an alcoholic as she barks down the phone to room service: SHNAPPS, SHNAPPS!! The son could never live up to his father’s expectations, “We are his scar,” while the daughter feels neglected by her mother. The mother, determined to get her hands on the performance fee, sees an opportunity to revive her acting career that has been sacrificed for family.
There’s lots for an audience to get their teeth into as the rehearsal – a very potted version of Hamlet – takes place. What makes this even more intriguing to observe is that we witness a real family on stage. Could these be the Von Trapps of Shakespeare? Writer Susanna Hamnett, a British/Canadian artist, assumes the role of the determined, prima donna mother – and she really is the mother of son Joshua McGregor, with whom she co-directs. He spars with his real-life sister, Lily MacGregor, who has a dry wit and impressive range. Of the three characters, her character arc is the most satisfying.
Hotel Elsinore can be seen on many levels. It’s Shakespeare and it’s Hamlet, but also a family drama about grief, loss and rebirth with each character bearing their own wounds. The selected passages of verse often resonate with character experiences and emotions. No one says it like the Bard, and the play illustrates how contemporary, dynamic, and relevant the text remains, as well as illustrating the magic of theatre and power of acting/ writing/play-making when it enables an audience to be transported to another world.
Despite a few technical inconsistencies (how does that snow manage to stay on the decking when we’ve just had a rainstorm?) Hotel Elsinore is an enjoyable, entertaining, and engaging production by the newly created company PLANT (UNLRD).
Runs until 3 May 2025
The Reviews Hub Score
The Bard as balm
The second Hamlet homage I’ve seen this weekend – the previous one at the Barbican by a Peruvian troupe of Down’s Syndrome actors – and both were great, offering new angles on a classic text. Although I didn’t know it at the time of watching, it’s a family company who perform this one, lending it additional relevance and urgency. My understanding of the Shakesperian original – ropy at the best of times – was increased by this new context, and the performances were touching and heartfelt. Catch it while you can!