As one of the most popular plays in the English language, Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” continues to appeal to audiences because of its timeless themes of grief, revenge and indecision, its complex, philosophical questions that confront the characters, and famous words spoken, like “to be or not to be,” that still resonate today. However, there’s still something missing in “Hamlet” and its many iterations since the play’s debut in 1603: the voices and perspectives of the women who live in the kingdom and the challenges with which they’re forced to contend in a male-dominated society world. But have no fear, fans of the Bard! A reimagining of “Hamlet” from the perspectives of the women within the troubled castle is coming to Washington, D.C. at the Folger Theatre entitled, “A Room in the Castle.”
The world premiere, written by one of America’s most produced playwrights, Lauren M. Gunderson, and directed by Kaja Dunn, opens March 4 on stage at the historic Folger Shakespeare Library and is co-produced with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.
Burgess Byrd, Sabrina Lynne Sawyer and Oneika Phillips take centerstage in the world premiere of “A Room in the Castle” – a re-envisioning of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” from the perspective of the women inside the castle walls. Performances begin March 4 and continue through April 6 at the Folger Theatre. (Courtesy of Mikki Schaffner)Dunn notes that the spotlight shifts to Ophelia (Sabrina Lynne Sawyer), Queen Gertrude (Oneika Phillips) and Anna (Burgess Byrd), Ophelia’s handmaid, as they grapple with the chaos and danger surrounding them in the king’s court. “In this current moment, a story about women fighting for liberation, finding autonomy and helping the next generation thrive feels incredibly urgent and relevant,” Dunn said. Gunderson said she’s been more than ready to reimagine the women of Shakespeare – women who are vibrant, have agency and move with “radical hearts eager for a new ending.”“A play about women defying a rotten patriarchy by ripping a hole in the fabric of their suffocating story is certainly the work I want to be doing right now,” Gunderson told The Informer. “These women of this play aren’t holding a mirror up to nature. We’re shattering the glass.”
The Actresses Have Their Say, On and Off the Stage The play retains many of the elements from traditional productions of “Hamlet,” but gone are Prince Hamlet, King Claudius, Lord Polonius or Hamlet’s sidekicks like Horatio or Rosencrantz. Instead, the cast is composed of a trio of women – three Black women – who each admitted that there’s a good portion of themselves in the characters they portray on stage. “This production counters the promise that Gertrude was taught to believe: if you’re a good girl, good things will happen to you,” Phillips said. “As a woman who came to the U.S. from the Caribbean with high expectations about the opportunities I could expect in this country, I have learned, as Gertrude comes to realize, that such notions are nothing but a false narrative.”She explained a challenging reality women face daily.”Women must still find ways to survive and to be treated fairly within our feminine bodies while male constructs surround us and men often seek to manipulate us,” Phillips told The Informer.Byrd said that while you won’t see Anna appear in Shakespeare’s script, she’s honored to portray a character who embodies many of the best characters of the women she knows and loves.
“Anna is an amalgamation of different women who are often overlooked but who matter a lot, especially in the lives of other women,” she said. “Women who are nurturers and caretakers. Women who are protective and fiercely loyal to their sisters. Women who are unafraid to act when action is needed no matter what the cost. That’s what Anna does in this production in her relationship with Ophelia who dies in the traditional version [the cause remains unclear: perhaps by accident, perhaps by suicide] but who, in this version, manages to move forward and leave the castle because of their commitment to and concern for one another.”But is “A Room in the Castle” a retelling of “Hamlet,” or is it something else – something more? Sawyer said it’s an expansion of the classic tale and it’s fitting for today and the women who must take care of themselves, their families and others. “This play is a story about how women, from generation to generation, have found strength and courage in a chaotic world and society when they learn how to rely and lean on one another,” she explained. “It’s exciting to see more coloring added to the cast and even more exciting that we’ve each been given permission to bring authentic parts of our Black womanhood to the stage in the characters whom we portray,” she said.The actress playing Ophelia added there’s a profound lesson to learn that she hopes audiences will take with them at the play’s conclusion.
“In a time like this that’s overwhelming for so many women and for so many reasons, this play leaves one with the reminder that movement is important – that movement brings hope. So, even if you don’t see your actions leading to immediate results, women must realize that it’s not a race, it’s a marathon,” Sawyer said. “And as long as we keep moving, we will not allow ourselves to become paralyzed.”“A Room in the Castle” opens March 4 and continues through April 6 at the Folger Theatre. For tickets and event information, email folgerboxoffice@folger.edu.
Source: Washington Informer
