No Props, No Problem: Utah Shakespeare Festival's Hamlet Recap

Contributed by Susan Klinker

A broken down truck could really put a damper on the evening when a theater crew has no set or stage props and curtain time is in just a few hours.  Not so for a seasoned group of young actors from Utah Shakespeare Festival.  As they introduced the performance of Hamlet, they jokingly shared the challenge of their situation with the audience. Message being, "the show must go on!" And indeed it did! The traveling troupe presented an outstanding show. There was nothing missing at all from their performance! In fact, the simplification really allowed the audience to focus on the talent of the actors and the dynamics of the script. For the minimal essentials, the team was able to pull partial costumes from the truck. By chance, the center was able to find an old packing crate at the UCCC that served perfectly as a coffin for Ophelia. The rest was enhanced by the audience’s imagination.
 
The Monday night show was followed by a Tuesday morning matinee designed for school groups and senior center groups. The performances served a combined audience of about 600, and included 3 workshops that were available for those who had signed up.
 
Following each show, the actors stayed for a charming talk back. They each told where they grew up and shared personal experiences in working together on this tour, and in their young careers. It was clear they are all deeply passionate about the deep meaning and relevance of Shakespeare's works even today. We all enjoyed the personal touch the talk back gave to the overall experience.
 
Michael Bahr, Education Director for Utah Shakespeare Festival noted, “This group of actors is an amazing ensemble of artists. They have performed in many diverse situations. Today’s show and last night’s performance really does show you the power of “theatre”, spoken text, trained and talented actors and the magic that happens when we rely on imagination.”
 
This is an annual event at the cultural center, so join us next March for another top quality performance. PS, admission is FREE!