Review: HAMLET at The Seattle Rep

Dear Readers, I want to set the not-so-wayback machine to January 2024 when I got to see the first preview of Eddie Izzard doing her one person “Hamlet” in New York.  Now I want to emphasize, this was the first preview of a brand-new show, and it was rough.  This is to be expected.  But afterward I was out on the street waiting for my cab when Izzard came out of the theater.  Faced with the glory that is Eddie Izzard, and me being a big fan, I blurted out, “You were amazing!”  Which she was, even in a rough show.  She looked at me and said “That was a six.  Come back later and you’ll see a ten!”  Well, it’s taken a little while, but I finally got to come back now that she’s brought her tour of the show to Seattle at the Seattle Rep.  And I’m happy to report she was right; we’re at a ten now. 

It's a solo show but it’s still Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. If you’re expecting a comedy routine about Hamlet from Izzard, then rethink that right now.  As adapted by Mark Izzard and directed by Selina Cadell, it’s still the story of Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark, as he deals with the death of his father, the King, at the hand of his uncle, now the King, and who is now married to his mother, the Queen.  It is a shortened version in this two hour and 5 miniute adaptation, as they’ve trimmed a few things, but the story is all there.  Ophelia and Laertes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Horatio, the grave diggers, they’re all there.  And they’re all masterfully portrayed by Izzard.

On a beautifully sparce set from Tom Piper with stunning lighting from Tyler Elich, with no extra costumes or props, Izzard tackles one of the most famous plays in history with nothing but her own immense talent.  But then she’s no stranger to this as she brought in the wildly well received one person adaptation of Dickens’ “Great Expectations” a few years back.  She seamlessly switches from one character to the next with swapping positions, vocal inflections, and mannerisms making it crystal clear who’s speaking.  And she manages to bring some insane moments with those iconic monologues and scenes.  She manages one of the most heart wrenching Ophelias I’ve seen.  And of course, her “To be or not to be…” is top notch.  But beyond the hits, this is simply a beautiful and well thought out production of “Hamlet”. I often say there are two types of actors who tackle Shakespeare.  Ones who speak the pretty words, and ones who understand the context and story and can convey it, and Izzard is certainly in the second camp. 

And yes, there’s certainly that classic Izzard humor as well.  The most banal moments often became funny when delivered with her signature wit and cadence.  Her handling of being the lone person on stage while carrying on a conversation of multiple people (especially her Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) is hysterical.  And just hang on when she lets loose in the gravedigger scene.

This is one of those shows and performers that you feel honored to have had the chance to catch.  And so, with my three-letter rating system, I give Eddie Izzard’s solo performance of “Hamlet” a wonderful full circle moment of a YAY+.  Sadly, it is completely sold out, so for those with tickets already, buckle up for some gloriousness.