Hamlet

Italian visitor, an actress, did not have much English but wanted to see it anyway. She reported that she did not get much of the text, but knew the story, had seen much of the Kenneth Branagh movie, and was able to follow the action. She thought there were not enough pauses, silences -- very acute, indeed, and I agree, but the company must have thought "we've got a lot of shit to get through, people, pick up the pace or we're here until midnight!" She also thought the Ophelia was unusual, and she was, rather an "odd girl" instead of a super-feminine girly-girl. I liked the show better in row D to the side rather than in row L more to the centre, where we had seen in first time. I had a harder time hearing everything at L, but Hamlet was pretty clear in both seats, and Claudius hard to understand. I am growing to like the Festival Theatre, as long as they don't have that balcony and post in the middle, but I still don't like all the steps, and it is just too damned big.