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THE CRITIC
Robert Cohen, THEATRE (Brief edition)
Chapter 11
Brooks Atkinson, NY Times, 1925-1960
Critical Perspectives
A play’s social significance
A play’s human significance
A play’s artistic quality
A play’s relation to theatre itself
A play’s entertainment value
Professional criticism...
...usually takes one of two forms.
Production reviews generally appear in
newspapers and are an immediate
response to the play.
Scholarly criticism often appears in journals
by persons more knowledgeable about
theatre.
dramatic criticism
Focus on the play itself and less upon a particular
production.
GOETHE’s questions....
What is the writer doing?
How does he do it?
Is it worth the doing?
An example of dramatic criticism
Why has this one tragedy become the archetypal Shakespeare play in modern times?
Although Hamlet met with success when it was first performed, it was rarely regarded as
Shakespeare's most note-worthy play in the late-sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and
many readers found it deeply flawed: as Abraham Wright put it in the 1630s, Hamlet was “an
indifferent play, the lines but mean”. The story of death and intrigue at the Danish court was
not new – as with nearly all of Shakespeare's plays, Hamlet was adapted from other sources.
The Norse folk tale of Amleth – recorded by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus (c.1200),
the French writer Belleforest in Histoires tragiques (1559-80), and in an anonymous play (now
lost) provisionally called the ur-Hamlet (c.1580s?) – provided Shakespeare with the main
characters and much of the plot for his tragedy: he added to the old legend the ghost, the
secrecy surrounding Claudius' murder of old Hamlet, Hamlet's delay, Ophelia's madness,
Laertes' revenge, and the character of Fortinbras (although some of these additions may
have been taken from the ur-Hamlet). It was Hamlet 's soliloquies, however, – those charged,
intimate moments in the play when the audience is supposedly privy to the workings of
Hamlet's mind – that captured the imagination of later readers, particularly in the wake of
Romanticism (c.1780-1830) in which the contemplative mind and quest for personal integrity
became a recurrent preoccupation. Coleridge, drawn to the image of Hamlet as
philosopher, claimed that “I have a smack of Hamlet myself, if I may say so”; likewise in 1817
William Hazlitt suggested that Hamlet's thoughts are “as real as our own thoughts [...] It is we
who are Hamlet”...
Citation: Roberts, Sasha. "Hamlet". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 June 2002
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4833, accessed 24 November 2010.]
production reviews
Jude Law as Hamlet
& Geraldine James
as Gertrude in HAMLET
Theater Review: ‘Hamlet’
NEW YORK—There may be something rotten in Denmark, but there is
absolutely nothing wrong with Jude Law's performance in the title role
of the Donmar Warehouse production of William Shakespeare's
“Hamlet,” now at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway. Law takes the
part of the oft-portrayed Melancholy Dane and completely makes it
his own, providing the spark for this impressive production.
As the play opens, Prince Hamlet finds himself under a dark cloud. His
father, the king, died barely two months before, and his mother Queen
Gertrude (Geraldine James) has married his father's brother Claudius
(Kevin R. McNally) soon after; his new stepfather thus becomes king...
Theater Review: ‘Hamlet’
...Where some actors have
played Hamlet with a regal air
and others with an attitude of
foreboding, Law imbues the role
with a sense of irreverence, the
character's entire personality
seeming to change from light to
dark with the turn of a phrase.
The actor's movements can be
best described as “careful
fluidity;” his hands and body
twisting and turning to make a
point or befuddle those about
him. Although this Hamlet is
certainly not mad, as some may
believe him to be, he is indeed
obsessed, usually realizing too
late the destruction caused by
his actions....
Theater Review: ‘Hamlet’
...The actor's movements can be best described as “careful fluidity;” his hands
and body twisting and turning to make a point or befuddle those about him.
Although this Hamlet is certainly not mad, as some may believe him to be, he is
indeed obsessed, usually realizing too late the destruction caused by his
actions.
Unfortunately, the acting in several key roles is not on par with Law's
performance and thus weakens the overall effectiveness of the play, which
suffers whenever Law is not on stage. Chief among the problems is Gugu
Mbatha-Raw as Ophelia. A pivotal character, her performance never really
works, the character feeling one-dimensional all the way through, no matter if
she is happy, sad, or desperate. Also not having nearly as much impact as she
should is James as the queen, her movements feeling tired and mechanical...
Reviewed by Judd Hollander (October 2009)
production reviews
Hamlet. By William Shakespeare. Royal Shakespeare
Company. Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon. 7 June 1997.
Theatre Journal 50.2 (1998) 234-237
scholarly criticism
The overlapping runs of the RSC-Stratford's Hamlet and the New
Globe's Henry V last summer seemed a symbolic commentary on the
changing dynamics of producing Shakespeare in his homeland. Henry
V, one of the first plays produced at the original Globe theatre,
presumably held particular appeal for Shakespeare's audience, who
found a compelling parallel between the potential of their own time
and the glories of Henry V's reign. Such a parallel makes the play an
apt choice for the inaugural season of the New Globe where there
exists a similar celebration of heritage and contemporary vigor. The
opening of the New Globe may provoke something of an identity crisis
for the RSC, and as a result the timing of Hamlet--a play scrutinizing
being in relation to past beliefs and future directions--is striking. A
production of a history play done in deference to tradition makes one
statement about Shakespeare in production, while an innovative
approach to a play as philosophically profound as Hamlet makes
quite another. The RSC production of Hamlet, directed by Matthew
Warchus, can therefore be seen as a kind of counterpoint to the
Globe's Henry V.
Hamlet at the RSC, 1997 (cont.)
At times, the production realizes the potential of liberating a text from
its original setting; at others, however, this Hamlet suggests how
innovation might prove at least as reductive as historical accuracy.
Warchus eliminates the Fortinbras portion of Shakespeare's plot and
concentrates on revenge within one family. Seeming to tap into
modern preoccupations with family dysfunction and individual psyche,
the RSC Hamlet concentrates more on the psychological than the
philosophical concerns of the text. Mark Thompson's production design
evokes The Godfather, where the icons of power are not those of
state, but those of money, influence, and a family empire.
By eliminating the details of a specific state of public affairs, the
production occasionally provides a glimpse of human turmoil as a
universal condition. Most effective is the play-within-a-play scene. Alex
Jenning's Hamlet, his face transformed through crudely applied clown
makeup, moves through this scene with manic and boyish energy.
Hamlet at the RSC, 1997 (cont.)
Instead of an individual compelled by his claim to any throne, he
becomes an embodiment of the fine line between foolish indulgence
and spirited righteousness in a universalized power struggle between
young and old. At other times, the depiction of Hamlet's dilemma as
an essentially private one robs the character of some of the
complications which account for the richness of the text. The decision
to feature a gun prominently in the "To be or not to be" monologue is a
most striking example of how a modern context might collapse rather
than broaden the possible texture of historic work. This gun makes
either suicide or murder seem relatively uncomplicated actions: a gun
works with simple efficiency when compared to dagger or sword.
More importantly, the gun--which Jenning's Hamlet begins by pointing
forward before turning it to his own head--reduces a larger rumination
on being to a more literal question about specific response in the
specific circumstance.
Hamlet at the RSC, 1997 (cont.)
If the prominence of the gun (which is emphasized in photos
promoting the production) takes something away from the
pivotal third act monologue, its introduction there provides an
interesting twist to the play's last scene where no gun is seen on
stage. Hamlet and Laertes (William Houston) do fence; and
their fight takes time with each man giving and taking the
dominant position while Gertrude, Claudius, and others look on
with stoic regard. The notion of a drawn-out sword fight in a
contemporary setting gives this scene a sense of eccentric
ritual which, like the play-within-a-play scene, translates family
pathology into effective theatrical imagery.
Even though it boasts uniformly fine performances and
excellent design, the RSC Hamlet finally attests to both the
potential and the liabilities of its own concept.
Hamlet at the RSC, 1997 (cont.)
In a curious way, however, this mix seems an apt companion
for a play entertaining indecisiveness. Hamlet dies an enigma.
Certainly the RSC and its proud tradition will live on; however,
the RSC may face some challenges at the Stratford location-to the extent that people are drawn to the theatre as part of
touring Shakespeare's birthplace. Might the appeal of the
birthplace fade alongside the opportunity to get a glimpse of
the "real life" of the Bard through a careful reconstruction of his
theatre in London? The implications of such a question go
beyond the most obvious ones for the tourist industry and only
time will tell what is to be as the New Globe reconfigures the
terrain of producing Shakespeare in Britain.
Sarah J. Rudolph
University of Wisconsin-Marathon
Student Criticism...
...characteristically adopts one of the
professional perspectives, but different
standards apply.
Expectations of a class
Expectations of a peer group
Expectations of a student publication
Expectations of a student organization
http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/blog/2010/09/review-pioneer-theatres-hamlet/
Posted: Monday, September 20th, 2010 @ 7:04 pm
Student Criticism...
An example from a
Salt Lake City blog
Review: Pioneer
Theatre’s Hamlet
by Lara Rosenbaum
http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/blog/2010/09/review-pioneer-theatres-hamlet/
Posted: Monday, September 20th, 2010 @ 7:04 pm
student criticism
To see or not to see, that is the question. Generally, when it
comes to a Shakespearean play, you can’t go wrong, and
Hamlet—perhaps one of the Bard’s longest plays (if not the
longest) is no exception. The Pioneer Theatre Company’s latest
interpretation of the classic tragedy is good, it’s worth your
time, but you have to be willing to lose your preconceptions a
bit—and willing to sit for three hours.
Let’s start with the acting: Phenomenal. Michael Crane was
superb in the lead role and his performance was seamless.
When he spoke Hamlet’s classic soliloquies, it was as if they
weren’t soliloquies at all. Instead, it seemed like Hamlet was
speaking to the audience, addressing everyone like old
friends, right there in the room with him.
student criticism
Really, all of the actors were superb–it’s hard to call one out
over another. To be honest, I almost want to see the play
again because of the quality of the acting.
The set design was wonderful, too. Of course, it was simple (for
the most part, a large, marble-esque room), but it made for
gorgeous lighting and interesting scene changes, especially
when it came to the ephemeral appearances (and
disappearances) of the Ghost.
The one rub for me was the time setting of the play, or more so,
the costumes. The actors’ attire seemed to switch from that of
the Victorian era (complete with embellished ballgowns) to,
well, if you count the black turtleneck Hamlet wore toward the
end of the play, the ’50′s or ’60′s.
student criticism
The actors also spoke their lines with modern intonations—very
conversational. That was all fine with me, and made the play
more relatable.
I just had to stop ‘noticing’ the costumes so much, and had to
let myself go. If anything, I saw Hamlet’s more modern attire
later in the play as a way to signal his personal evolution as a
character. (He had grown up, by then.)
In all, Pioneer Theatre Company put on a fine production. Just
prepare to sit and relax for a while and let yourself go.
Hamlet runs through October 2. For tickets and more
information, visit pioneertheatre.org or call 801-581-6961.
Resources for student critics
University of Wisconsin
Writing Center
How to Write a Play Review
WIKI
How To Write A Play Review
Website
An national organization, ATCA, is a service
organization for theatre critics in America
George Jean Nathan
Critic John Lahr
We are the critics
Theatre demands mutual and active
participation, so we are all critics. We can
use our role to hold theatre to high
standards, by developing our awareness
of qualities of the theatre. We need to be
observant, informed, sensitive, demanding
and articulate. The best critics are
knowledgeable, fair and open-minded.
Questions over your reading
1. What are the critical perspectives that help viewers
focus on their response?
2. What are the characteristics of newspaper, scholarly
and student criticism.
3. What are the qualities of an effective critic?
Some suggested readings
 No Turn Unstoned by Diana Rigg
 The Poetics of Aristotle
 “Preface to Cromwell” by Victor Hugo
 “The Defense of Poesy” by Sir Philip Sidney
 “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller
 The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde