NHTP’s Senior Youth Repertory Company performs ‘Hamlet’

One of the bard’s more oft-told tales, William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet: Prince of Denmark” has a little bit of everything: love (no matter how incestuous), betrayal, revenge, corruption, and a touch of insanity, to boot. All of that is present in New Hampshire Theatre Project’s Senior Youth Repertory Company’s performance of the play at West End Studio Theatre in Portsmouth. 

Hamlet’s (Dan Kleinman) father, king of Denmark, has been murdered, and not long after the body turns cold, his mother, Queen Gertrude (the gorgeous Hannah Feintuch) marries his brother, Claudius (Gabe Dorfsman-Hopkins). One justification for this quick betrothal is that the long-awaited war with Norway, led by Norwegian Prince Fortinbras, is approaching, and the country should not be without a king.

But the obvious passion between the queen and her new king enrages Hamlet, who begins to suspect his uncle of murder. Overwhelmed with grief, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and the king and queen send two of his schoolmates, Rosencrantz (Nelly Nickerson) and Guildenstern (Robert McCluskey) to watch over him. Hamlet quickly discerns that his friends are spying, which only increases his paranoia.

During a confrontation with his mother, he senses a spy and plunges his rapier into the curtain, only to find that he’s slain the king’s advisor Polonius (Punit Matta), father of his friend Laertes (Luke Gajewski) and his love Ophelia (the graceful Brigid Abreux). His tenuous grasp on reality slips further and shatters Ophelia so completely that she loses her mind and drowns herself, wrapped in flowers.

Desperate to have Hamlet out of the way, the king masterfully convinces Laertes that Hamlet killed not only Laertes’ father, but his own father. Laertes agrees to duel Hamlet (with a rapier dipped in poison). For extra measure, Claudius plans to offer Hamlet a poisoned cup of wine for a toast. But when Hamlet wins the first two matches, his mother rushes to his side to wipe his brow, and, from there, nothing goes according to Hamlet’s or Claudius’ plans.

One of the gifts of director Genevieve Aichele is her ability to teach actors young and old to speak iambic pentameter understandably. Viewers don’t spend half the play wrestling to understand what’s said, because it’s clear that the actors, half of whom are high school seniors, know what they’re saying, and so do we.

Aichele is also gifted at helping young actors find the core of their characters. Hamlet’s dark anguish spirals into madness. Queen Gertrude’s passion for Claudius evolves into deep concern for her son and skepticism about her new husband. Dorfsman-Hopkins’ greed turns to murderous ambition. Ophelia’s mind snaps when she loses Hamlet to madness and her father to murder. Laertes’ loyalty to his father and his king dissolves into murderous rage. Horatio (Eli Heubner), Hamlet’s best friend, starts off jovial and ends up in agony. Every character, due to manipulations, lies and mistakes, reaches emotional extremes.

With such a huge cast, it’s essential that the actors work together seamlessly. Again, Aichele works her magic, and the players’ talent and exquisite timing doesn’t hurt. Kleinmann gives us a dark and plunging Hamlet who doesn’t stay in one emotional place for too long. He’s desperately grasping reality and trying to find direction. Gertrude is majestic and maternal far beyond Feintuch’s years. Abreux’s Ophelia is gentle, fragile and heartbreaking. Smaller characters like the messenger (played adorably and hysterically by Grace Derby) and the grave diggers (Jane Merrow and Jes Marbarcher) are hilarious and offer much needed breaks in the tension. Characters with as little as two or three lines leave us with a laugh.

The ever-present score by local musician Randy Armstrong serves as a romantic, powerful and sometimes ominous backdrop. The sparse but fluid stage design by Meghann Beauchamp is flexible and works with Jacob Moses’ lighting design as if the two are one unit. But the star of the show is Aichele’s direction, the way she brings the cast and crew together to evenly and flowingly tell one of the oldest stage tales in a refreshingly new manner. She creates a beautiful evening of entertainment.

“Hamlet: Prince of Denmark” runs at West End Studio Theatre, 959 Islington St., Portsmouth, through May 24. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Call 603-431-6644 for reservations.