William Shakespeare’s tragic play HAMLET maintains its universal appeal because of its enduring meditation on the human condition. That interest continues, and the psychological impact that Denmark’s rotten events have on Hamlet is now the catalyst for the expressionist adaptation, GOODNIGHT SWEET PRINCE which is currently being performed at the Old Fitz Theatre.
Directed by Liesel Badorrek (who also adapted the play along with Raj Labade and Jack Twelvetree), the production creatively threads together extracts from the original text, creating a disorienting examination of the debilitating trauma of grief as our protagonist, caught in a chaotic world devoid of trust, slowly unravels to expose the fragility and vulnerability of humankind.
At approximately 70 minutes with no interval, the intensity of this work is immediately established through Keerthi Subramanyan’s disordered and brooding set design. Upturned furniture floating from above, broken artworks and musical instruments strewn across the stage externalise the fragmented state of Hamlet’s psyche. The hazy room, along with Verity Hampson’s blistering lighting contributes to the confusion and emotional intensity of the performance. Ross Johnston’s soundscape complements the lighting, alerting us to the intense political and social violence that acts as a backdrop to Hamlet’s profound despair.
For the performers, it’s a demanding task that is made more difficult because every night, they alternate their dual roles. On this night, Labade was immediately captivating as Hamlet, his acting range tested on a journey through a gamut of raw emotions. His performance highlighted the private turmoil of a young man living under the intense pressure of masculinity and obligation. The partnership between Labade and Twelvetree is robust.
Twelvetree moved seamlessly, offering a dynamic performance as Horatio, a composite role where the amalgamation of characters adds to the distortion of identity and time and gives more focus to Hamlet’s inner turmoil. At times, it felt relentless, with few moments of reprieve offered to lighten Hamlet’s emotional burden. But I guess that’s the point, because by privileging Hamlet’s perspective, we see the maddening commitment to enact revenge while under constraints of constant surveillance. Isolated in a world where he doesn’t know who to trust, it inevitably leads to tragedy.
By focusing the production entirely through Hamlet’s psychological lens, aspects that give the original play scope for interpretation and reinterpretation become somewhat distilled, and the concentrated introspection can feel indulgent. This is distancing for the audience at times, who act as witnesses to Hamlet’s existential angst but are to sympathise without any real answers to the questions that torment him. The ending leaves the audience subdued, with nothing left but silence.
GOODNIGHT SWEET PRINCE offers a sympathetic representation of the male psyche, which feels particularly relevant in a world where young men must navigate the constant bombardment of expectations from the Manosphere.
GOODNIGHT SWEET PRINCE is showing at Old Fitz Theatre until 15 August 2026 https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/goodnight-sweet-prince
Production phototography by Campbell Parsons
