(photo courtesy : Susie Sprinkel Hudson)
Written by Alina Mae Wilson
Many if not most leading characters in successful fiction today have qualities that endear them to the viewer, making them desirable as friends, lovers, or both. But before there was all that nonsense about actually liking the star, there was someone else–there was Hamlet. An angst filled Danish prince forever brooding about his castle, Hamlet is often described with words like “depressed” “whiny” and “cowardly”. As a result he has many times been the target of viewers’/readers’ scorn, derision, and annoyance. In contrast with this is the portrayal from American Coast Theater Company’s Hamlet. The young prince here is heavily sarcastic, bitter, and volatile. Not really likable or sympathetic, but he has an energy that is strange enough to keep you hooked. Continue Reading