Ophelia
presented by Studio Zero
Showtimes
[A] Thu., Jul. 31 @ 8:30 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 5 @ 8:30 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 7 @ 7:00 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 8 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 10 @ 2:30 p.m.
KEY:
[S]=ASL interpreted
[A]=Audio described
Show details
Venue: Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts
Duration: 60 minutes
For ages 13+
Written by adapted from Hamlet, by William Shakespeare
From: Atlanta, GA
Website: www.fringeophelia.com.
Genres: Audio described, Drama
Overall rating
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User reviews
Gut-wrenchingly touching performances
by Florence Brammer Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This impressive production depicted Ophelia's gut-wrenching pain and confusion with a very effective simplicity, without crossing the line into minimalism. Very touching and memorable. Great staging & use of the venue and an imaginative use of taped text, too.
I want that tub
by Roni Goldstein Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This show was very nicely put together. I'm not sure how much but a large portion of the show there were no words spoken... which was both gutsy and very capturing. The actors were great and the beauty and ugliness that Ophelia's story is was spot on.
thumbs up from a non-English major
by joe fringegoer Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
While I am not a Shakespeare buff, and for that matter basically illiterate beyond from reading computer manuals, I highly enjoyed the dramatic interplay between Ophelia and Hamlet. The stage was sparse but well used, the actress for Ophelia did a super job portraying a range of emotions, and though the presentation was short (45 mins) it was well paced. Go see Ophelia, and get the Cliff's Notes later!
The Young & The Timeless
by Carol Gawthrop Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This show was rich in visual symbolism and represented well the timeless applicability of Shakespeare to contemporary couples. Warning: they break the originally intended iambic pentameter of the text; this is not a show for Shakespeare traditionalists! The actorsâ performances were intense and believable; however, this is presupposing that you know the plotline to Hamlet. If you donât know the original text & plot very well, it was VERY EASY TO GET LOST in the jumps from plot point to plot point featuring Ophelia. In a way, it effectively demonstrates how much Ophelia WASNâT on stage for most of the dramatic action that shaped Hamlet into what he became. I thought it was so poignant that Hamletâs words of love were literally written on to her skin and a part of her throughout the rest of the play, no matter how vile his behavior, they were still there. There were moments when the actors attempted to break the 4th wall; it was more confusing than enlightening and therefore ineffective, but these moments thankfully did not last long.
Intense
by Chuck Beeson Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
"Ophelia" is an exploration, primarily from the POV of Ophelia, of the love relationship between her and Hamlet. Hamlet wears a suit, Ophelia a tank top and jeans. We see them naked in a tub at the outset (obstructed by the tub), clothes lying on the floor. There is no dialogue for a while, just the dynamic intimate tension between them in small gestures and playfulness. Clips of old Hamlet performances and the sound of rain are snipped in like electronica, painting a canvas of pain and longing. Ophelia holds all Hamlets letters to her in a broken flower pot, kneeling in the middle of the room, looking lost and tired. Hamlet, a handsome and intense creature, bangs on the door to get in to see her and she fights all his advances after the initial tub scene. Hamlet claims not to love her, but the acting by Melissa Roy as Ophelia and Alex Brooks as Hamlet makes you believe otherwiseâ¦a tortured love affair that is attraction at its rawest form. I might have given it the highest rating, but I felt that Ophelia had to go "all the way" and really see the pain and desire in her face more. I highly recommend this show...you will feel the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia explored in the best possible way, two forces of passion expressed in movement and gesture, not words.
New take on a classic tale
by Hazen Markoe Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
In an original twist of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," Studio Zero delves into telling Ophelia's side of the story in a powerful, yet soulful production. Using only the Bard's words and a rather spare staging, the 2 member cast does an excellent job of drawing us into the intimate struggle between Hamlet and his ill-fated love. The sound design, which uses snippets of dialogue from other characters in the classic play, helps to fill in the gaps and illustrate the madness that slowly engulfs Ophelia. Clocking in at just under 40 minutes, this is one of the shorter Fringe entries, but it is very much worth taking the time to see.
I like Shakespeare...
by Justin Bacon Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This piece essentially pares Shakespeare's Hamlet down to Ophelia's Story. There is little or nothing here which is not taken directly from Shakespeare himself, but by simply focusing the theatrical point of view on Ophelia's experiences (and Ophelia's experiences alone), the play forces one to pay particular attention to Ophelia's personal tragedy. I would perhaps have liked to see the piece explore a bit more of Ophelia's experience above and beyond what Shakespeare tells us of her, but this is a relatively minor quibble as the actors portraying both Hamlet and Ophelia (the only two characters to appear) work the material and bring you to fresh tears.
Old story, new eyes
by kit gordon Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Taking on Hamlet is always a big step; the fine two actors who do so in "Ophelia" are more than up to the challenge. This re-viewing of Shakespeare's play through the eyes of a young woman: in love, confused, distressed, and finally mad opens up the text in interesting ways. The words are Shakespeare's, but the scenes are the actors'--including those wordless moments that may have existed in the playwright's mind, but never made it onto the page. Fine work.
Not a Romantic Comedy
by Peter Setter Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Hamlet is fâing Hamlet; itâs difficult to say much more about Shakespeareâs work, but Studio Zeroâs look at Ophelia adds something worthwhile to the discussion. The actorsâ performances, the sound design, and the full use of the space make Ophelia worthy of your time and dime. My only complainant is the length: it clocks in at a half-hour.
