Death, anger, hate, violence. Wesley Deintje's dark and disturbing production, The Hamlet Machine, investigates murder, betrayal, rape and love. A holy space is violated by fine dust that settles on every surface. The chorus is covered with white powder which fills the intimate chapel in which the play takes place, choking actors and audiences alike.
Deintje's inspiration for his interpretation of The Hamlet Machine comes from his South African roots: displaying the shocking realities of sexual violence, physical violence and death. The chapel allows the audience to become part of the play, to unite with actors and subject matter in order to find a solution to all the destruction displayed. The play was first written by Heiner Mueller, taken from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Mueller's lack of stage direction gives producers the freedom to interpret the text and push the boundaries of traditional theatre, which Deintjes has certainly done. (less info)