Hamlet Performers

David Garrick as Hamlet, 18th century

The performer at the first production, which was supposedly held in 1600-1601 at the London Globus Theater, was Shakespeare's closest collaborator Richard Burbage , the author himself played the shadow of Hamlet's father. The tragedy was created by Shakespeare with an orientation towards this actor. Contemporaries describe Burbage as a remarkable master of reincarnation, with expressive recitation, carefully designed facial expressions and gestures.

Until 1642, the play was staged in the tradition accepted during the life of Shakespeare. After the Puritan government came to power for 20 years, the theater in London itself was banned, which led to some decline in theatrical art.

After the resumption of productions in London, Shakespeare's plays were reworked, the directors very freely interpreted the theme and even changed the main plot of the tragedy. In the 17th century, after Burbage, Thomas Betterton was the famous performer of the role, who first performed it in 1661 in London at the Lincolns Inn Fields Theater, and the last time in 1709 at the Drury Lane Theater . Shakespeare's plays were then performed in classic alterations, the pathos-declamatory manner of performance inherent in the French theater influenced this actor, but when performing Shakespearean roles, he brought to life elements of realism, striving to show genuine human passions.

In the next, XVIII century, one of the main events in the history of English theater was the performance of David Garrick in the Drury Lane Theater on January 5, 1743 . Garrick was a supporter of enlightened ideas, rejecting the aesthetics of classicism. The main thing in the performance should be a moral beginning. To convey the idea to ordinary people, the characters must live and feel on stage, like ordinary people. Garrick portrayed Hamlet as a creative person, richly gifted with subtle feelings, and willpower, and vitality. Starting from Garrick, the original Shakespearean play was returned to the English stage, however, the plot of the play was nevertheless adjusted in the final scene, in accordance with moralizing requirements.

A significant event was the performance of John Philip Kemble in 1783 at the Covent Garden Theater. He was an artist of the classical manner of performance, a master of the monologue. His manner is characterized as rhetorical and cold.

In the 19th century, performances in this role by Edmund Keene on March 12, 1814 at the Drury Lane Theater became the most striking. Edmund Keene was an outstanding representative of the aesthetics of romanticism in the English theater. The hero of Keane was a strong personality, for whom the main thing is the struggle against the prevailing foundations. At the same time, his heroes did not rise above the viewer, in them the tragic was combined with the ordinary. In the image of Hamlet, the main struggle with the hypocrisy of the world, the hero combines a sharp mind and spiritual gentleness, the consciousness of the impossibility of changing the existing order of things gives a touch of pessimism. The actor was close to the general public, conservative criticism called him the "actor of the crowd."

Henry Irving played the role of Hamlet since 1864 at the Manchester Theater , and on October 30, 1874 at the London Lyceum Theater. Having played it more than 200 times, he became one of the best actors in England. Irving interpreted the image of Hamlet in the style of sentimentalism, a gentle and kind person, the main role was his unhappy love for Ophelia,

Among other English performers, the roles of Hamlet in the XVIII — XIX and early XX centuries are noted by the actors:

• Robert Wilkes - an actor of the early 18th century, played in Drury Lane and the Dublin Theater
• Sprayer Barry - a contemporary of Garrick, tried unsuccessfully to compete
• Charles Mine Young played a role in a duet with actress Marie Glover , in the role of Ophelia. This actress was one of the first women to fulfill the role of Hamlet.
• William Charles Macredy
• Charles Keane , son of Edmund Keane played Hamlet at his Princess Theater. The performances of the theater were distinguished by great attention to the authenticity of the scenery and costumes, and the massive number of scenes. Due to the spectacle, the performances were very popular. At the same time, Charles did not possess the talents of his father.
• Samuel Phelps performed at the Haymarket Theater in London, and later directed the Sadlers Wells Theater. His stage style was distinguished by simplicity and naturalness, skill of reincarnation. The performances of his theater were the opposite of the performances of C. Keen with their external spectacularity.
• Herbert Beerbohm Three . The attraction to external effects, entertainment characterize the productions and acting of G. Birb Three, in this he followed the tradition laid down by C. Keen and G. Irving. In 1887–96 he headed the Haymarket Theater, where he directed Hamlet (1892). In pursuit of entertainment, Birbo Three distorted the original text of the play.
• Thomas William Robertson .
• Frank Robert Benson played the role of Hamlet, and also staged almost all of Shakespeare's plays. In 1886-1919 his troupe performed at the Shakespeare Memorial Theater in Stratford-on-Avon . Benson was the organizer of the annual Shakespeare festivals.

In the middle of the 20th century, the role of Hamlet in the English scene was performed

• John Gilgud became a famous actor after his performance in 1929 at the Old Wick Theater, then he played this role in 1934 in London theaters: New Theater (1934), Queens Theater (1937), Lyceum (1939 ), Haymarket (1944);
• Lawrence Olivier in 1937, directed by Tyrone Guthrie . Olivier showed Hamlet as an integral, purposeful hero, an effective beginning in which prevails over reflection.
• John Neville
• Alec Guinness

On the American stage, the role of Hamlet at the beginning of the 19th century was played by Payne, John Howard , who then moved to England. A significant phenomenon was the performance in Shakespearean roles, including the Hamlet of Negro actor Ira Aldridge . Forced to leave America for racial reasons, he toured extensively throughout Europe, including Russia. The actors of the Booth family also played the role of Hamlet on the American stage: father Junius Brutus Booth , who moved to the United States from England, did not have attractive external data and was successful by skill, his son Edwin Thomas was the most famous leading actor in Shakespeare's plays in America, another son John Wilkes also starred in Shakespearean plays at the Baltimore Theater, but is better known as the killer of Abraham Lincoln .

The first productions of Hamlet on the German stage were in English. They were staged by touring English troupes, usually as very far from the original alterations.

The first performance of "Hamlet" in German took place on January 16, 1773 at the Vienna Court Theater . It was a redesign of Hüfeld , in the role of Hamlet in it was Lange. September 20, 1776 in Hamburg, and in January of the following year, a rework of F. L. Schroeder with I. Brockman in the title role was staged in the Hanover theaters. On December 17, 1777, a performance in the same processing and with the same Brockman in the lead role was staged in Berlin at the Döbbelin Theater. The first performance of Hamlet in the translation of A. Schlegel took place on October 15, 1799 at the Berlin Court Theater. The role of Hamlet was made by Beshort. At the end of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, the roles of Hamlet were played on the German and Austrian stages by Abt, Karl Friedrich , F.L. Schroeder, Koch, Anschütz , Wolf, Karl and Emil Devrient . Davison, Leve , Josef Kainz , Possart , Ludwig Barnay , Joseph Levinsky , Sonental , Friedrich Mitterwurzer , Adalbert Matkovsky , Moses, Gustaf Grundgens .

On the German stage, the roles of Hamlet were actresses Felicit Abt in Gotha and Felicita Westfali . The performance of F. Abt in the role of Hamlet was successful, note her subtle game. Felicita Westfali toured all over Europe, shocking the audience, she speaking in male roles: Hamlet, Romeo , Petruccio and others. The epigram written in 1850 by Pyotr Karatygin (brother of the famous Hamlet of the Russian scene by actor Vasily Karatygin ) speaks about her performance in Russia,

The French scene did not accept Shakespeare for a long time, since its style did not correspond to the prevailing principles of classicism. The first production of Hamlet in French took place in 1769 at the Paris Comedy Frances Theater in a distorted remake of Ducie . In this alteration from 1803 he played Hamlet and F.-J. Talma .

A translation close to the original was made by Alexander Dumas the father together with P. Meris only in 1847, in the same year he was put in the “Comedy Francaise”. In the 1880s (from 1876), Hamlet was played by Jean Mune-Sully , he was characterized by an archaic melodious and recitative manner of performance, following the traditions of classicism. The actor was not attracted by the tragic passions of the hero, he first of all showed a noble manner, a well-set voice, his characters had a knightly noble appearance. The actor was distinguished by careful work on the role, the perfection of the technique of execution, the precision and thoughtfulness of the movements.

Since 1899, the role of Hamlet was played by Sarah Bernhardt , who had previously played Ophelia. Her performance also retained the reclusive manners coming from classicism, as well as careful elaboration and memorization, alien to any kind of improvisation.

In 1913, in the staging of the play by the Antoine Theater , the woman again played the role of Hamlet - Susanne Depre , whose creative style was distinguished by simplicity and naturalness. In 1946, on the stage of the Parisian Marigny Theater, Hamlet performed by Jean-Louis Barrot in his own production.

Among the performers of the role of Hamlet in Italy are Salvini, Tommaso , Ernesto Rossi , Ermete Novelli , Ermeto Zacconi , Ruggiero Ruggieri , Vittorio Gassman .

In Sweden, Gesta Ekman (senior) and Leo Hanson .

In Ukraine - Rostislav Kolachnik (Staged by HamletByMaxSir. Lviv. 2018) .

In Poland - Jan Valery Krulikovsky , Marian Vyzhikovsky , Daniel Olbrychsky .

In Hungary - Marton Lendvai .

In the Czech Republic - J. Y. Kolar , Eduard Voyan , Eduard Kogout , Zdenek Stepanek , Milos Nedbal . ^[one]

In Greece, Alexis Minotis .

The first production of Hamlet in pre-revolutionary Russia took place in 1750 in the translation of A.P. Sumarokov , the actors were pupils of the land gentry corps. In 1757, the role of Hamlet was played by the actor of the Volkov Theater I.A. Dmitrevsky , the actor of the classicist manner of performance. In 1810, Hamlet was delivered in St. Petersburg according to the translation by S. I. Viskovatov of the French remake of Ducie. The role of Hamlet was performed by A.S. Yakovlev . The creative manner of this actor was radically different from the classicist manner of Dmitrievsky. He strove to express living human feelings and passions.

A notable event in the history of the Russian theater was the staging of Hamlet at the Moscow Maly Theater in the translation of N. A. Polevoy delivered on January 22, 1837 to the benefit performance of the main actor Pavel Mochalov . Actually, with this performance, the real Russian tradition of performance begins. Mochalov’s interpretation of the role was welcomed by that part of Russian society, which is traditionally regarded as democratic. The execution was fully approved by V. G. Belinsky . According to him, he gave the image “... much more power and energy than what a person who is struggling with himself and suppressed by the severity of an unbearable disaster can have, and gave him sadness and melancholy much less than how much Shakespeare’s should have Hamlet". ^[2] Mochalov’s execution was negatively received by conservative critics.

Among the performers of the role of Hamlet in subsequent productions of the Maly Theater are L. L. Leonidov , A. P. Lensky , I. V. Samarin , N. E. Wilde , A. I. Yuzhin .

In the same year, this performance was staged in St. Petersburg at the Alexandrinsky Theater with Vasily Karatygin in the lead role. V. G. Belinsky wrote about this production that for the actor this role is a great personal progress, but there can be no question of any comparison with Mochalov. ^[3] Karatygin ignored the psychological diversity of Shakespearean heroes; in Hamlet, he focused on the Danish prince’s struggle for the throne.

In the Alexandrinsky Theater, the role of Hamlet was subsequently played by: A. M. Maksimov (1st) inherited Karatygin, V. V. Samoilov , V. P. Dalmatov , M. V. Dalsky , M. E. Darsky , R. B. Apollonsky , N.N. Khodotov , B.S. Glagolin .

Of the subsequent pre-revolutionary productions, one can note the production of the Pushkin Theater (Theater at the monument to A. S. Pushkin, the Brenko Entrepreneur) in Moscow in 1882. The crying-passive interpretation of the image of Hamlet by M.T. Ivanov-Kozelsky was negatively evaluated by A.P. Chekhov . ^[four]

On December 23, 1911, Hamlet was cast at the Moscow Art Theater in the translation of A. I. Kroneberg by the English director and artist E. Craig , directors K. S. Stanislavsky and L. A. Sulerzhitsky . The role of Hamlet was played by V.I. Kachalov . Director G. Craig staged the play in accordance with the ideas of symbolism . However, contrary to the plans of the director, Kachalov played Hamlet in a realistic manner, creating the image of a thinker who was tragic in his hopeless attempt to change the world for the better.

Одна из наиболее значительных постановок Гамлета в советском периоде была осуществлена в 1924 году во втором МХАТ в 1924 году режиссёрами В. С. Смышляевым , Татариновым и А. И. Чебаном , в роли Гамлета выступил Михаил Александрович Чехов , который в этот момент возглавлял театр.

В Ярославском театре имени Ф. Волкова режиссёр Бертельс поставил Гамлета в 1927 году, главную роль исполнял М. Л. Курский ;

В Ленинграде в 1938 году Сергей Эрнестович Радлов поставил спектакль в в своём театре , главную роль исполняли Дудников и Б. Смирнов

В Воронежском театре «Гамлета» в 1941 году поставил режиссёр В. М. Бебутов , роль Гамлета исполнил А. В. Поляков .

В Ленинградском театре драмы им. Пушкина спектакль в 1954 поставил режиссёр Козинцев . Роль Гамлета исполнял Б. А. Фрейндлих . Через 10 лет этот режиссёр поставит фильм «Гамлет» с И. Смоктуновским в главной роли.

В Московском театре им. Маяковского режиссёр Н. П. Охлопков поставил спектакль в 1954 году роль Гамлета исполнял Е. В. Самойлов , позднее М. М. Козаков , а за ним Э. Е. Марцевич .

Для становления грузинского национального театра важную роль сыграла постановка «Гамлета» в 1925 году в Театре им. Руставели , осуществлённая Котэ Марджанишвили , в роли Гамлета в ней выступил Ушанги Чхеидзе .

Впервые на армянском языке Гамлета исполнил П. Адамян в 1880 году, в России. Этот актёр подошёл к работе над ролью очень основательно. Он написал специальное исследование «Шекспир и критика его трагедии „Гамлет“» (1887), в которой разобрал трактовки этой роли величайшими писателями и артистами мира и обосновал своё понимание шекспировского образа. Кроме того им была написана картина «Гамлет». Критика писала о большой страстности и энергии, вложенной исполнителем в этот образ.

На армянском языке звучало и женское исполнение роли. Это был моноспектакль Жасмен Геворкян, поставленный Арамом Григоряном. ^[5]

• Пол Скофилд
• Жан-Луи Трентиньян
• Кристофер Пламмер
• Ричард Бёртон
• Бен Кингсли
• Ростислав Колачник
• Кевин Клайн
• Рэйф Файнс
• Хакуэ Танака
• Тоби Стивенс
• Киану Ривз
• Дэвид Теннант
• Джуд Лоу
• Лоренс Оливье
• Рори Киннир

На русской сцене

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• Жорж Мельес в фильме « Гамлет ».
• Аста Нильсен в фильме « Гамлет ».
• Лоренс Оливье в фильме « Гамлет »
• Иннокентий Смоктуновский в фильме « Гамлет »
• Дерек Джекоби в телевизионном фильме «Гамлет», пр-во BBC, 1980 г.
• Мел Гибсон в фильме « Гамлет »
• Кеннет Брана в фильме « Гамлет »
• Scott Michael Campbell in "movie Hamlet "
• Ethan Hawke in "movie Hamlet "
• Gela Meskhi in the movie Hamlet. XXI century
• Ian Glen in the movie Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
• David Tennant in the movie Hamlet (2009)

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