Hamlet

Sh!t Faced Theatre - Leicester Square Theatre

A Shakespeare play where one of the actors is drunk, it's an absolute unserious and hilarious nightmare. This is the perfect weekend activity.

Classically trained actors, and one of them is drunk. It's an unhinged 'Hamlet' and it will have you in stitches. The cast just go with it, and a few lucky audience members get to choose a perfect moment when the actor might be sobering up to play an instrument that lets the host know it's time for them to have another drink. If you don't know the story of Hamlet, then you might not necessarily know it after watching this either. I was shocked to find out in this show that Hamlet's dad died of syphilis. It's so interesting to see how the actors respond to the drunk actor's wild outbursts and how they stay in character; it's a hilarious contrast. My new favourite Shakespeare quote is "He does harp on".

The contrast between the actors and the drunk actor is something you can truly appreciate. The way they navigate and improvise in response to any unusual reaction from the drunk actor is interesting to watch. Of course, as you can imagine, there is a lot of deviation from the original script, but how they jump in and out keeps the audience engaged in the content. This is what makes the show interesting to theatre lovers and people who aren't regular theatre-goers: it's Shakespeare, the drunk SparkNotes version. However, if you're watching the show to revise Hamlet for your exams, well, I probably wouldn't. John Mitton played Hamlet, one of the most iconic moments of the play is the famous 'To be or not to be' section, and he was constantly interrupted throughout the speech. The way he would react to the interruption and to the cast; was one of the most hilarious and chaotic moments. He was a great casting for Hamlet, and his switch from classical to improvising comedy moments was of a very high standard. Charlie Keable plays a really interesting role in the show, as a host and referee, almost, getting the cast to get back on subject or avoid jokes that are too inappropriate. He keeps the audience in good spirits and encourages high energy from the cast. It does make you wonder how drunk the actor actually is though! Moments are very over the top.

The constant jumping in and out of the script creates a relaxed environment. It's an easy watch, and you have no idea where the cast is going to go with the show next. The setting is clever; they don't use a lot, but what they do use is effective. With the show being so vibrant and comic, the set also holds a lot of comedy. One of the most intriguing settings was the grave scene, when Ophelia is buried. It is a ball pit with grass around it and a grave. This creates the tragic scene, whilst also holding on to the comic tone, and you can just see that it is the perfect trap for the actors to fall into... quite literally. The audience is involved by the host handing them instruments to sound only once to urge the host to give the drunk actor more to drink. Giving the audience the power of how silly the show will get! Many other props create comedy... but I won't ruin that for you.

This really is something that you will have not seen before.. unless you've seen their other shows. Perhaps this is what Shakespeare intended, who knows... It's a show that would be different each time you watch it, and it gives the actors creative freedom. This kind of creative freedom is fun to watch and light-hearted. It is a perfect weekend activity, and if you want to get drunk while watching the show, why not? It's an artistic nightmare, and it will have you laughing till your tummy hurts. Take your friends, it's the perfect start to a merry night out. These actors are great creatives, and their acting skills are top-tier. It's just a bit of light-hearted fun!