Sep 20—Oct 07, 2018
Hamnet
Shakespeare’s only son takes center stage.
William Shakespeare had one son: Hamnet. The young boy never knew his famous father, but in this riveting tour-de-force from Ireland, Shakespeare’s only son finally takes center stage. How do our dreams impact our families? Do adults really have it all figured out? Or are we blind to what we could have done better until it’s too late? In Hamnet, a commanding performance from a young actor confronts what it means—and what it costs—to be great. In this moving, meticulous, multimedia wonder, ambition clashes with family responsibilities in a way that rivals the stakes of a great Shakespearean tragedy.
This U.S. Premiere of Hamnet will be Boston’s only chance to see Ollie West perform as the 11 year old lead character—a role literally written for him. West performs SEP 20 – SEP 30, after which we’ll welcome the talented Aran Murphy to take over the role for the final four performances OCT 3 – 7.
The Irish Times Theatre Awards – 5 Nominations for Hamnet!
Best Production, Best New Play, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Set Design
Info
Venue
Emerson Paramount Center
Robert J. Orchard Stage
559 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111
Dates
Sep 20, 2018 - Oct 07, 2018
Details
60
from $20
Ages 11+
Parental Advisory: One scene in this production contains some nudity of a non-sexual nature.
“I still find it hard to believe that an eleven year old did that all practically on his own. Not many could have pulled off doing an hour-long show with hardly any set, a limited amount of props and practically no time off stage. But Aran Murphy did it…”
— Broadway World
“A captivating turn from 14-year-old Ollie West. Watching him, one has the sense of seeing a very starry actor in the making.”
— Jared Bowen, WGBH Arts Editor
“Brilliantly written, and a extraordinarily creative staging from Dead Centre, Hamnet is one of the most riveting works to come out of Ireland in recent years.”
— Brian O'Donovan, Host WGBH's A Celtic Sojourn
“Extraordinary production of grief, fatherhood, and the shadow of those we love and miss.”
— Theater Mirror
“Hamnet has been earning raves around the world and Boston audiences should not miss this opportunity to see it.”
— EDGE Media Network
“The play is a one man show or rather a one boy show…Ollie West threw all my assumptions about a one person show out the window…[He] was excellent as Hamnet.”
— City Living Boston
“Hamnet is the epitome of pre-teen candor and angst: an honest portrait of a hurt yet devoted son.”
— Harvard Crimson
“Full of a passionate intensity”
— MIT The Tech
“A fascinating, one-of-a-kind play that strikes at a universal sense of longing.”
— The Arts Fuse
“Hamnet is a must see. There were a lot of metaphors, and they got me right here [tapping his heart]”
— @playhouseEd
“Absolutely loved it…Renewed my love for live theatre.”
— Yana, from the blog
“It was otherworldly and so beautiful!”
— Audience Member
“It was amazing, I want to see it again.”
— Audience Member
“What a great performance, loved the video effects.”
— Audience Member
“ABSOLUTELY stunning & gorgeous.”
— @TankWitch
“Haunting, funny, and complex. Brilliantly performed and staged.”
— @BrianJPick
“I came because I thought it was a clever idea to use Shakespeare’s son to tell a different story about him. I left with far more than that story — with so much to think about. What a great performance, loved the video effects. And, one hour — yay!”
— Audience Member