Henry Lawson Theatre: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead - Review by Trixie Franklin

Most of us would be familiar with (or at least have a vague recollection of) the names Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. At some point during secondary school, we would have studied Shakespeare and would remember the pair as minor characters in the play “Hamlet”. Or perhaps we studied this particular work by Tom Stoppard and developed a more in-depth understanding of the play and its titular characters. When I attended the Henry Lawson Theatre for a performance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, it seemed that the audience was quite diverse in their previous experience of the play – some were clearly very familiar with the play, whilst others were perhaps a little confused about what was going on. I was somewhere in the middle – no experience with this particular work, but with some understanding of the plot of Hamlet – so I wasn’t sure what to expect. 

The play extends on the exploits of Hamlet’s two school friends (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern), who were commissioned to spy on him. It reflects on the events that occur before and during the play “Hamlet”, with brief appearances of the major characters. Seemed simple enough, however, this was not the case, and nothing was as straightforward as it seemed. In true absurdist style, the play was full of illogical scenarios, nonsensical dialogue, and focused on the futility of human existence. 

First-time director Sherene B Mitchell did an outstanding job directing this piece. She is to be congratulated on her overall vision and her attention to detail when bringing this vision to life. The set (designed by Mitchell and constructed by Ian Fletcher and Jordan Ryan) was a perfect example of “less is more” – the subtle placement of a few barrels and a shelf, and the creative use of several theatre blocks, resulted in an effective and very functional set. The addition of a net, a lifebuoy, a nautical steering wheel and a deck chair, and the set was transformed into a ship for Act 3. I particularly liked the large coin head on the wall, symbolising a recurring theme throughout the play. 

The clever costuming and use of interesting props provided several comedic moments and visually enriched the storytelling. The references to Shakespeare’s Hamlet were unmistakable, and this enhanced the audience’s understanding of the plot. The tragedian’s trolley became a constant source of interest, with the audience wondering what they were going to pull out next. Again, Mitchell, the cast and crew who assisted her with costumes and props are to be commended on their attention to detail. The title of the book Hamlet was reading in Act 3 was a deft touch!

The roles of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were portrayed brilliantly by Gina Lawrence and Tayah Gulyas. They are to be applauded for their excellent characterisations, snappy delivery of their very complex dialogue, and total commitment to the physical demands of the role. Lawrence played the simple-minded Rosencrantz perfectly, with great physicality and comedic timing, which was offset beautifully by the Gulyas’ portrayal of the more down-to-earth but somewhat frustrated Guildenstern. The pair had excellent stage chemistry and were very entertaining – their nonsensical banter was an absolute joy to watch. 

There were many other noteworthy performances during this production. Ian Fletcher was outstanding in the role of the deranged Hamlet – his portrayal of the decline in Hamlet’s sanity, through his physicality and costume choices, was very amusing. Krystie Grubba as The Player did a wonderful job and lit up the stage with her over-the-top antics. She was ably supported by her troupe of performers – The Tragedians (played by Felicity Jean, Geoff Hacker and Angela Pezzano) - whose rendition of the ‘dumb play’ was absolutely hilarious. Special mention should be made of Pezzano, who is a delightful comedic actress and whose facial expressions stole the show. The ensemble was rounded out by Mitchell Rist (Claudius), Jaqueline Felangue (Polonius), Sonja Petrov (Gertrude) and Kye Eade (Ophelia) who all gave solid performances. 

The wonderful performances on stage were complemented by the brilliant lighting and sound plots. First timer Matthew Bourke rigged and operated the lights and did an outstanding job – showing great insight into the various moods of the play and providing some lovely moments through his lighting states. Nicole Madden’s sound design is to be commended – her clever choice of songs and music grabs had me chuckling throughout the play. The sound operator, Lily Hampson, ensured that the sound cues were delivered smoothly and seamlessly. 

On the whole, I found the play very engaging and highly entertaining. Was it hard to follow? At times, yes, it was. But this is Absurdist theatre, and I’m not sure if we are really supposed to understand it. The humour lies in the fact that it is so absurd that it is really very funny.  Whether the audience understood it or not, they were obviously enjoying themselves, and there were lots of positive comments at the end as they were leaving.  

If you are a fan of absurdist theatre or a bit of a Shakespeare buff, this play is a must-see. And if you are neither of these, go and see it anyway. You won’t be disappointed!