Community drama on a grand scale

AN extraordinary example of theatrical alchemy has taken place in Nottingham over the past year, turning amateur actors some with no previous experience at all and technicians into a company capable of staging two highly individual performances of Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the Royal Concert Hall.

- By WILLIAM RUFF

The process has involved many people and much commitment, starting last year with casting and the creation of a new Hamlet script (cut to a manageable two hours or so) and also cleverly introducing lines from other plays to help fill the gaps. This year, two completely different casts have been put through their paces and all the hard work has culminated in two performances of Hamlet: The Rest is Silence, premiered on Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon.

This was community drama on a grand scale, developed by Nottingham's Royal Centre in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I'll come to the actual performances later, as it’s the climb to that very public summit which also deserves celebration.

This is the sort of experience which changes everyone who participates. Just think what's involved (especially for those coming to Shakespeare performance from scratch): they have to master the text and explore characters and situations; they have to acquire a stage presence and learn that standing and moving in classic drama takes some getting used to.