Review of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' (directed by Gregory Doran for BBC TV), BBC Two, 29 December 2009

Abstract

As an academic working with a foot placed firmly in the film camp as well as the literary, the prospect of viewing "filmed theatre" has always filled me with dread. To be televised, or not to be televised: that is, indeed, the question we should be asking! Does "filmed theatre" ever work? My response is, as a rule, a resounding "No!" Such TV events should come with a warning sign: they have neither the merits of a live performance piece nor the cinematic energy required for successful transition to the screen. However, Gregory Doran's highly acclaimed RSC production of 'Hamlet', starring David Tennant, makes the transition to the small screen by embracing its new medium; rather than presenting us with a lack-lustre video-recording of this staged 'Hamlet', Doran and producer John Wyver (Illuminations Production Company) consciously adapt the production from stage to screen.