Naeem Hayat, the other Hamlet, is struck by how well-known the play is. The RADA graduate speaks of how the play resonates in this part of the world as Hamlet is basically a family story. Over appam and stew at The Oberoi Benguluru, who hosted the Globe Theatre, Naeem talks of extreme tourism, jet lag and me-time on a packed tour. Excerpts
Can you share your experience of touring the world with Hamlet?
It is such a universal play with such a wonderful and a human story. It is essentially a family story. Family is such a big part, especially in this part of the world. We’ve had so many wonderful experiences of people talking about the play from the perspective of the family — what the mother’s role is, whether it is okay for her to marry again with her husband so recently dead. There are so many little nuances that we sometimes forget because we are so used to playing it.
People even if they don’t think they know the play, when they hear ‘to be or not to be’ or ‘alas poor Yorick’, there is always an audible moment of an intake of a breath, a laugh or something to say they recognise that moment. It is moving to share the story with many different people. It is special because Hamlet is the only play we do. We do it in different parts of the world to different reactions. It is a rare thing for an actor to be part of something like this. It is a special, unique and very lunatic experience.
Is there a time when you want to get out of Hamlet’s head?
Of course, it is the same if you are playing a part for a very long period of time. You see us here. We do everything together. Essentially we are a dysfunctional family. We find moments for ourselves, for some quiet time. In Bhutan Ladi and I trekked up to the Tiger’s Nest. That was beautiful, absolutely stunning. It is moments like that which give you down time away from the show.
We have become experts at what we like to call extreme tourism — which is to see as much as you possibly can in the short amount of time you have. For example we spent less than 24 hours in the Maldives and we tried to see as much of the beautiful place as we could. We’ve become experts at this kind of gung ho tourism.
How do you deal with jet lag?
It is funny, jet lag sort of doesn’t exist because we have no real concept of time or place (laughs). It helps that usually we go by continent and so once we get there, we are pretty much in the same time zone. Though earlier in tour we went from the Caribbean to Poland and Kazakhstan. It is only on the first flight out that it is jarring. I think everybody is good at knowing when they are too tired. They would have a quiet evening at the hotel, talk to the family and friends they have left. We find ways to keep ourselves sane.
How did you approach the iconic To be or not to be speech?
Dominic Dromgoole, who is the artistic director and the director of this production with Bill Buckhurst were both keen on not allowing these iconic lines to become a big moment. One, because it can be very frightening for the actor and also because you want to surprise the audience. The idea is to allow the text to do all the work. As an actor you want to get out of the way of the story and part of that is not revering those moments too much. You give them their due because they are very beautiful lines, you want to keep the audience on their feet. Hamlet does so much of his figuring out with the audience, you really want to use that you want to look into the eyes of the audience, make them feel they are in the room. That is a big part of the way theatre works and breaking down the wall between the audience and performer. You get all sorts of funny reactions some people don’t want you to look at them at all. They will do anything to avoid eye contact. They will look at the floor, they will pretend to be sending very important emails, and there are other who are with you and want you to keep talking to them.
'I LOVE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT'
The Nigerian-born Ladi Emeruva likes the puzzle of Shakespeare. Playing Hamlet on Globe Theatre’s gruelling world tour, the recent graduate of LAMDA insists he does not have trouble differentiating between the play and himself. Ahead of his performance at Bengaluru’s Ranga Shankara, Ladi spoke of theatre, Shakespeare and downtime. Excerpts.
How did you approach the iconic To be or not to be speech?
The way you do the soliloquy with the Globe, it is directed at the audience. Yes, the soliloquies are what is going on in the character’s mind. What we believe, I am not an academician, but even when the plays were performed during Shakespeare’s time, the soliloquies were directed at the audience. I remember watching a show at the Globe and it made so much sense, a lot of these soliloquies come alive when you see them performed directly to the audience.
Did you have to do any particular training for the physicality of Hamlet?
Yes there is a lot of movement, dance, and fighting. That is what we are trained to do.
Are there times when you want to get out of Hamlet’s head?
Not really. One of the things I love about Shakespeare is the puzzle of it. I love trying to figure it out. Hamlet is a complicated play with complex emotions. I love trying to solve it — you know, let me try it this way or that. It might be something really small. It just might be one line. I really enjoy doing it.
I find it pretty easy to differentiate between the play and myself. Particularly in this production — it doesn’t encourage you to go into your own world. You’ll see… all of us are doing a lot of other things… I might do a very sad scene and the next scene I am playing the violin (laughs).
Watching the production a year ago and watching it now, it is just not the same. It depends on who is playing what part. Every night is an entirely different thing.
Do you have a favourite part of Hamlet?
It is always changing. One of my favourites, which for me is the sort of climax, is the closet scene between Gertrude and Hamlet, the confrontation. You know he goes in to do one thing and it turns out to be something else.
YOUNG HEARTS, RUN FREE
Watching the Globe Theatre’s energetic Hamlet at Ranga Shankara, one is struck by how young the play is. The older people in the play are either foolish prating knaves (Polonius), conniving murderers (Claudius), deceitful (Gertrude), dead (Old Fortinbras) or a ghost. The youngsters on the other hand are way cooler — be it Laertes, Horatio, young Fortinbras or the coolest of them all, Hamlet with a fondness for Gothic fashion statements (remember his inky cloak) and word play. The way he treats the women in his life, however, leave a lot to be desired
The fact that Shakespeare was not young when he wrote the play is further proof of his finger on all the requisite pulses. If the Bard of Avon wrote now, at the very least he would have been running a multi-billion dollar media house—striding cinema, television and advertising like a colossus.
The production was part of the Globe Theatre’s Globe to Globe programme where starting on Shakespeare’s 450 birthday in April 2014 the play will travel the world visiting over 200 countries to return to London in April 2016. Some of the 12-member cast shared characters. Rawiri Paratene played Claudius and the ghost, Amanda Wilkin played Horatio and Rosencrantz and Tom Lawrence played Laertes and Guildenstern. Ladi Emeruwa played Hamlet, Phoebe Fildes, Ophelia and Miranda Foster, Gertrude.
The play at two hours and 40 minutes moved at a spanking pace with song, dance, a nimble ghost and nifty sword play. All the iconic scenes and dialogues were given their due. Ophelia’s descent into madness was touching while the grave diggers were properly funny. The minimal sets lent themselves to quick changes to now become the ramparts of Elsinore and quickly turn into the queen’s boudoir complete with all-important curtain.
The play reiterates how current the Bard is — even Hamlet’s procrastination is so millennial. Aren’t all of us prey to the slings and arrows of outrageous Facebook?
