To laugh or not to laugh, there is no question

By Matthew Banks     4/3/12 7:00pm

Alcohol, insanity and the witches from "Macbeth" take the stage in this year's impressive Wiess College Tabletop Theater production of "Hello, Hamlet!" A parody of "Hamlet," "Hello, Hamlet!" has become a Wiess Tabletop tradition since its inception in 1967, parodying the classic Shakespearean tale every four years. This year's play is a rendition of show-stopping "The Sound of Music" and "Chicago"-esque performances. Ophelia is even more insane, Horatio is obviously gay and the witches from  "Macbeth" show up at the whim of the playwright. Add jokes, hilarious songs and the drama that we normally associate with "Hamlet," and you have the makings for an entertaining experience.

Director and Wiess junior Emily Viehman has done well with the deceptively difficult script. The show could have easily moved into an overly campy production; however, the actors deliver the script simply, without slipping into being overly obvious, eliciting numerous laughs from the audience.

"Hello, Hamlet!" boasts a relatively young cast. Jones College freshman Marcel Merwin delivers a delightful performance as the title character. He bounces about the stage throughout the performance, delivering immensely comedic moments and a vocal performance sure to be a favorite of anyone who sees the show. Wiess freshman Marie Chatfield delivers a stellar performance as Ophelia. The insanity of the original character is transformed into hilarity, and the audience cannot help but be thankful that her character survives, allowing her to remain on stage until the end. Hanszen College sophomore Michael Hollis delivers one of the most mature roles of the night as Claudius. His air of superiority is a little unbelievable at times; however, the difference between his performance and those of the other characters on stage gives a nice counter very much needed in this theatrical romp.

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Although the leads are strong, the supporting cast continually steals the limelight. Jones senior Lilla Pivnick and Baker College freshman Daniella Covarrubias deliver charmingly vaudevillian performances as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Their musical number during the first act shows off their power as a duo and makes the audience wish the characters had larger roles in the original ?Shakespearean show.

Brown College junior John Mendell delivers a hilarious performance as Polonius. In the greatest departure from the original script, Polonius turns into a raging alcoholic in the musical. Though Mendell does not play a convincing drunk, his over the top acting delivers a comedic performance.?    No matter how delightful the actors were, sound issues were prevalent in the show. Partly because of malfunctioning microphones, hearing the actors was extremely difficult. In addition, the Wiess Commons will never be a decent place to perform theater productions. High ceilings leading to the Upper Commons suck sound away from the audience, while large floor-to-ceiling windows throw light from the quad into the production. These issues are slightly annoying but do not prevent the show from being enjoyable overall.

Designed by Sid Richardson College freshman Zach Bielak and Wiess sophomore Austin Jarvis, the set is impressive. Simplistic stage design, with two major tiers on stage and an additional platform behind the stage, allows actors to peer over the back wall. Stone bricks painted onto the walls give the appearance of a castle, while two thrones draped with fabric give a nice royal touch. In true Wiess spirit, a college banner hangs over the thrones to remind the audience that this is a beloved ?Wiess tradition.

Costuming is where this show excels. Impressively draped dresses in rich and colorful fabrics give the female leads a royal flare, while members of the chorus wear simplistic peasant dresses. The men are typically dressed alike: Every male cast member dons tights. The royalty wear rich fabrics, while the peasants wear mainly cotton. The witches appear on stage in pure black ensembles reminiscent of dancers, adding a nice touch to their ?only number.

The lighting board was broken, so Viehman had to rely mainly on flood lighting to simply illuminate the stage. This was a disappointing element of the play and hopefully the lighting has since been fixed, because experimental lighting would complement the ?innovative script.

"Hello, Hamlet!" has been a staple of Rice theater since George Greanias (Wiess '70) wrote the play in 1967. After playing Fortinbras in the Hamlet production the semester before, Greanias decided the play needed a change of pace. Greanias' inclusion of Broadway musical numbers has since radically changed Hamlet into the oddball comedy, "Hello, Hamlet!" This year, Wiess triumphantly brings back the play with a refreshingly young cast and a production that any theatergoer, whether a novice or a play aficionado, will enjoy.

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