Hamlet

theoretical two week project

David Geffen School of Drama

University Theatre

2024

play by William Shakespeare

Director collaboration Alexis Kulani Woodard

Alexis and I collaborated on this theoretical project together.

Hamlet takes place in between the two World Wars, a country that was at war and now its trying to repair itself but by the end of the play ends in chaos. A lot of my inspiration therefore came from il Conformista.

Red and black marble along with silver columns hint at the richness of the palace. The stage is extended giving the opportunity of more entrances and exits for the actors, and the columns move to move us in between spaces.

The biggest transformation of the stage came from conversations with Alexis of a visceral Hamlet. When Ophelia enters in Act 4 Scene 5, she breaks the marble floor and pulls the flowers from the ground. As if a respond from this the back wall sinks, the columns tilt and the ground cracks open.