Review: I HATE HAMLET at Wilmington Drama League
Get thee to Wilmington Drama League posthaste!
By: Rosanne DellAversano Apr. 10, 2025
I HATE HAMLET by Paul Rudnick is cute, silly little nod to all you theater nerds. Rudnick wrote I HATE HAMLET in the early ‘90s, while living in the very same New York apartment which housed John Barrymore before he began performing his legendary Hamlet uptown. Rudnick believed the place provided a “strong inspiration” given its steep flights of stairs, walls of rough stucco, and a spooky, odd-shaped niche high in the wall, used for a candle (or a skull).
Young successful television actor Andrew Rally faces a career in limbo since the cancellation of his hit medical drama series. A relocation to New York lands him not only the marvelous, gothic apartment once occupied by none other than the legendary John Barrymore but also one of Barrymore’s greatest roles – Hamlet – in a free production for Shakespeare in the Park. While all this would seem extraordinary to most actors, Andrew has trouble seeing the silver lining. Why? Simple. Andrew hates Hamlet.
Andrew (Andrew Dluhy) takes a leap of faith by moving into the apartment sight unseen with the help of real estate broker, Felicia Dantine (Pam Huxtable). There, we are quickly introduced to Andrew’s girlfriend, Deirdre McDavey (Katie Gorman), and his agent, Lillian Troy (Kathy Buterbaugh). We learn that Deirdre is very much the ingenue, Lillian needs to quit smoking, and Felicia, besides being a celebrity seeking realtor, is a psychic. A quick séance later, along with the help of a little champagne, and the ghost of John Barrymore materializes before Andrew.
Taking offense to Andrew declaring he hates Hamlet, Barrymore takes it upon himself to tutor Andrew in the ways of a true Shakespearean actor, or more precisely, in the Barrymore way. However, Andrew isn’t exactly starstruck. His dislike of Hamlet is entwined with his conflict with, well…just about everything. Is he good enough for the role? Does he truly want to do the show? Why did he get the role? Will audiences like him? Should he go back to Los Angeles and try for more television gigs? Will he ever get intimate with his girlfriend? What motivates Andrew to move forward with the production? Perhaps, it’s his desire to prove he can. Or perhaps, it’s to entice his girlfriend to go all the way (since she gets all hot and bothered whenever she hears Shakespeare).
Dluhy fairs quite well in the demanding “to be or not to be” role of Andrew. He approaches Andrew’s dilemmas with the complexities of acting, the pressures of fame, and the eternal struggle between art and commerce with sincere uncertainty, confusion and skepticism. Huxtable, Gorman and Buterbaugh offer lovely, individualized wacky characters. The role of Lillian Troy has some of the best one-liners and one of the more touching scenes of the show and Ms. Buterbaugh does not disappoint in her portrayal, even though her German accent waivers from time to time. Adding to the ensemble is Andy Weymouth in the role of Gary Peter Lefkowitz as Andrew’s LA Producer. While Mr. Weymouth clearly conveyed a semi-sleezy Producer of the 80’s, I’m not entirely certain the character is needed.
The main character of John Barrymore is deftly portrayed by John Barker. Mr. Barker’s talents first caught my eye in a local production of Deathtrap. He once again garnered my appreciation for his skill with this production. Mr. Barker, dressed in appropriate Shakespearean garb, eloquently moves about the stage while delivering acerbic, barbed words of “wisdom” to Andrew. The duel between Barrymore and Andrew is worth the ticket price.
I HATE HAMLET gives audiences an enjoyable stage play filled with sharp wit, clever dialogue, and a healthy dose of meta-theater.
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