In particular, the emphasis on reflective surfaces throughout the work, such as fractured mirrors, provides Doran with a suitable motif to signify the splintering psyches of Hamlet’s various characters (Hamlet, Ophelia, Gertrude, Claudius etc). Unlike the grandiose stylings of Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 version, Doran has opted for a refined minimalist presentation – sparse sets characterised by few props and polished interiors.Īnd yet while the production design is theatrical in nature, Doran directs the camera in a manner more typical of television (cutting between mid-shots and occasionally moving in close) to capture the nuances of the performances and the play’s theme of madness. Gregory Doran’s adaptation of The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2008 production of Hamlet however is largely a successful one, due in part to its carefully considered simplicity. Often shot with static or spatially distant cinematography, weakened by conflicting performance styles, or overly lengthy, the transition from stage to screen is not always harmonious. Filmic productions of theatrical performances have an unfortunate tendency to be, as the Bard might put it, ‘a little more than kin, and less than kind’.
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