In Ophelia Thinks Harder, Hamlet and his homies are all there, only not quite as we know them.
Basing her play on the Shakespeare tragedy, author Jean Betts has reimagined the roles and placed them in an alternative universe with Ophelia (Brea Macey) at its centre, questioning herself and the world around her.
Written with a feminist perspective, Betts’ Ophelia grapples with the problems of the female identity in a world that only allows women the options of becoming a wife or a nun.
Despite the constant efforts of her father Polonius (Richard Hilliar) to get her to marry the prince, Hamlet (Shaw Cameron), Ophelia resists with a determination fuelled by her questioning of the status quo, and even Hamlet’s worthiness.
Using wit, pathos and dialectical debate with herself, Ophelia even rails against the role of the Virgin Mary, who never experienced the pains of giving birth.
Macey plays her Ophelia with marked physicality and a level of concentration from which she never falters, and she holds the audience’s attention across the entire performance.
The Hamlet we see here is portrayed as a self-centred jock with questionable sexuality, and without the introspection of being able to deliver the “To be or not to be” speech.
Gone is the complex Hamlet of past productions and in comes a misogynistic lout who revels in his position in society and the fact that he can use women as playthings.
Instead of Hamlet doing the soliloquy, it is delivered by Ophelia, who imparts it with a powerful and poignant rendering.
Queen Gertrude (Lucy Miller) shakes up the maternal role, especially in her speech on sexuality.
Rosencrantz (Hannah Raven) and Guildenstern (Julia Bettens) are played as gender-shifting foils who also supply a lot of comedic value.
Hamlet is supported by his faithful friend Horatio (Pat Mandziy) and Laertes (Zachary Aleksander) and Finley Penrose plays St Joan who wanders in and out of the stage space, while Ophelia is served well by her maid (Eleni Cassimatis).
At various times the cast take up instruments and burst into song, which turns into a musical treat during the intermission.
The text from New Zealander Joan Betts is a mash-up cleverly drawn from across the Shakespeare play, and gets its message across without ever once being didactic.
This production was originally cast with Jade Fuda (co-producer) in the title role, but due to illness she had to step aside for the understudy, Macey, proving that this is a cast wth a great depth of talent.
Director Alex Kendall Robson has the cast working at the top of their form, and never does this rather long production appear to lag in energy or concentration as it is played for maximum laughs.
Kendall Robson doubles up as costume adviser, while Cameron is associate producer and Aleksander gets to show his musical chops as music director.
The simple set of grass and ferns on one wall with a shrine to the Virgin Mary at the opposite end, designed by Hannah Yardley and Jimi Rawlings, works perfectly in the KXT space, as does the effective white and amber lighting from Sophie Parker.
Read: Book review: Better Days, Claire Zorn
Once again this year, independent theatre is proving that it can more than match many of our larger productions with a simplicity of staging and great talent.
Ophelia Thinks Harder by Jean Betts
KXT on Broadway
Director: Alex Kendall Robson
Co-producers: Jade Fuda and Alex Kendall Robson
Set and Prop Designers: Hannah Yardley and Jimi Rawlings
Costume Adviser: Alex Kendall Robson
Lighting Designer: Sophie Parker
SFX Designer/ASM: David Wilson
Stage Manager: Caity Cowan
Intimacy Coordinator: Sonya Kerr
Social Media Manager: Maddy Withington
Graphic Designer: Matthew Whittingham
Production Placement: Jessica Dalton
Cast: Jade Fuda, Eleni Cassimatis, Shaw Cameron, Lucy Miller, Hannah Raven, Julie Bettens, Pat Mandziy, Richard Hilliar, Zachary Aleksander, Finley Penrose and Brea Macey
Ophelia Thinks Harder will be performed at KXT Theatre, 181 Broadway, Ultimo NSW, until 29 March 2025.
