Edinburgh Arts: <i>Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead</i>

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead

The fusion of modern English to text from Hamlet is a difficult one to pull off on stage, but Chimeric Productions' staging of Stoppard's retelling of Shakespeare's tragedy pulled it off very well. It added to the title characters' sense of isolation, as did (from the audience's perspective) the pitfalls of catching a show early in a month-long run.

Most impressive here was the differentiation between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, all too often presented as interchangeable in character, even if nobody (themselves included) can ever remember which is which. Tom Oakley's frustrated intellectual and Dan Jennings' childlike optimist both struggled to make sense of what's going on around them - this was Vladimir and Estragon on the fringes of a plot, which may be more than Beckett gives his protagonists but it still doesn't get them anywhere.

Among the other roles, Claudius and Polonius were the only slight disappointment, one speaking in a monotone, the other in an over-simplistic "old man" voice which jarred with the others' more naturalistic approach. For all that, from coin-tossing to the vile leotard of the Player, this comes highly recommended, though I would suggest leaving it a week or two until the cast has had time to gel.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead is on at 2:30pm at the C (Chambers Street) every day until Monday 28th August. Phone the Festival Fringe box office (0131 226 0000) for details. Further reviews of this production will follow later this month.

(3rd August 2006)

Comments:

I saw this play the other day and thought it was really good. I agree that there is an element of Waiting to Godot about it- but the part without the tedious waiting! It's a very fast-witted, humourous play- and all credit to the lead parts for remembering the lines!
I'm not one for Shakespearian language - but this was easy to digest and the rest of the audience seemed to agree- One lady even gave it a standing ovation!
Definately worth a look.

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