Performed at Live at Play in Al Quoz, Hamlet – The Rest is Silence is a gripping, emotionally nuanced reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy that hits all the right notes — gritty, involving, and unexpectedly humorous in the best imaginable ways.
Adapted by Aditi Nath and produced by MacGyvers Performing Arts and Cross Bronx Studio, this production strips Hamlet down to the essentials and lets the performances dominate — and they do. Satya Baskaran’s Hamlet is brilliant. He moves seamlessly from rage to sorrow to sarcasm to introspection, and delivers a performance that is raw and vulnerable. He doesn’t act Hamlet — he inhabits him.
The surrounding ensemble is equally potent. Mahmoud Basyoni is impressive in the double role of Ghost and Polonius, achieving a sharp contrast between sinister and humorous. Amit Vikram Ghosh is quietly menacing as Claudius, and Ria Samuel is a haunting, lovely Ophelia. Mehr Hussain (Gertrude), Sid Abbas (Horatio), and Ryan Durand (Laertes) provide emotional resonance and gravitas to the spinning drama.
The production is absolutely aware of how to mix in some humor — Maven the Poet and Alex Kizya as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern get some laugh-out-loud lines in at just the right moments, giving the audience some welcome little breaks from all the drama. Richard McGregor, Reem Dabat, Mira Shah, and the rest of the supporting cast all bring their own energy to the roles, making this a completely enjoyable and memorable production.
What truly draws you in is the environment — this intimate, industrial warehouse feel that makes you feel really close to everything that’s happening. There are no walls or anything else between you and the action. You’re right there in Elsinore, seeing it all happen. And when Hamlet says, “the rest is silence,” it really packs a punch.
The production returns for two more shows on April 26 and 27. If you’re in Dubai and want theatre that’s powerful, relevant, and deeply human — don’t miss it.
[Contributed By Anushka Gaikwad]