Tiny Ninja Theater Creates Good 'Small Scale' Interest

I must admit that I sincerely dislike the term "interesting" used as an adjective to describe any kind of situation, person, or experience. I find that it is a very vague word that leaves too much open to interpretation and never clearly states your stance on any given issue. However, the fuzzy meaning of the word "interesting" can definitely get you out of a jam in a virtually seamless manner if used correctly. I can't tell you how many times I've taken advantage of its "middle of the road" meaning during tough questions that I would rather plead the fifth to. You can however, also just take the term for its face value: distinctive, peculiar, and intriguing, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. What the Tiny Ninja Theater accomplished with its production of Hamlet was an interesting performance, leaving me satisfied that I had just seen something not even remotely close to mainstream. Of course when first reading the synopsis of this production, I thought it was slightly strange, but was pleasantly surprised to leave the theater thinking that this was an interesting production which did the word proud. 

All the elements of Tiny Ninja Theater's "Hamlet" tied together quite nicely. Performance Space 122, which before had been a public school in the East Village, housed the play and created an atmosphere that worked hand in hand with the production. Hamlet is performed in what used to be a classroom only holding an audience of about thirty. The classroom and/or theater depending on what you want to call it, had its door tightly shut before the "curtain." As more and more people lingered in the hallway waiting for the doors to open, I couldn't help but have a flashback to what school used to be like. For instance, the hall was lined with bulletin boards announcing upcoming events and performances in PS 122, much like you would see in a grammar school showcasing what each classroom was working on. People lined the tight hallway like high school students chatting about the latest gossip and soaking up every last second in between classes until the late bell rang. I could tell just by listening to fellow audience members that the Tiny Ninja Theater has acquired quite a following. One gentleman said, "…this is the first time that a ninja is the lead character," with obvious excitement. This loyal audience was very apparent as they reminisced over past Tiny Ninja Theater Productions like MacBeth and Romeo and Juliet.

This adolescent and teenage vibe then goes one step further as the audience sits in a classroom and watches someone playing with dolls barely an inch tall "act out" a Shakespearean classic. The simplicity of it is something that has to be appreciated. The King and Queen of Denmark, Claudius and Gertrude, are both represented by figures that bear the "Have a Nice Day" face. Even though this striking similarity could be interpreted as a sign of their somewhat incestuous relationship, the two dolls are distinguishable because Gertrude wears a pink bow on her slight forehead. 

Hamlet has been simplified and reduced down to the lowest common denominator without loosing any of the meaning. Dov Weinstein, director and shall I say, "narrator" of the play, did an incredible job of condensing Hamlet in to 45 minutes and reciting the entire script. Unlike the Mel Gibson and Kenneth Branagh productions of Hamlet, Tiny Ninja Theater contained no frills, but rather the bare minimum in which the story was still clearly conveyed. Weinstein did a fine job altering his voice from character to character and providing scene changes (one including his mouth as the apparition appears held between his teeth) guaranteeing that the play didn't become stagnate or boring. He used stationary as well as hand held cameras to project the scene images up on a TV screen, enabling the audience to better see the action unfold. This technique plays with the audiences' brain because somewhere in the middle of the performance, I found myself realizing that I was watching a live performance unfolding right in front of me on a TV screen instead. Weinstein undoubtedly was having fun performing the play and serving the role of both actor and director. His simple creativity played a large role in helping this tragedy to be viewed in slightly more comedic light. Ophelia's drowning is portrayed with her inside a plastic cup full of water and the "bearers of the evening" are represented by two bear erasers that could be bought for a quarter in a gumball machine.

The Tiny Ninja Theater's production of Hamlet tests the audience's knowledge of the classic play by throwing it into a completely new setting with a new type of actor. The main themes and storyline of Hamlet are still clearly seen which is a true credit to this innovative theater company. I think Shakespeare himself could appreciate the creative humor which Weinstein displays. So if you're in the East Village and you want to do something out of the norm, go and buy a ticket to Tiny Ninja Theater's Hamlet. You may come out liking it or not, but one thing is guaranteed; one way or another, you will have a most interesting time. 

Performances run Thursday-Saturday at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm through November 21^st. For more information visit www.tinyninjatheater.com