World Financial Center ‘Hamlet’ put interactive spin on the Bard

If Shakespeare was originally meant to be experienced in the round, few venues would be more appropriate than the World Financial Center.

The new production of “Hamlet” allows viewers to experience the Danish prince’s story by following the players throughout the center, stopping at designated spots to watch the action unfold. The effect is to transform the World Financial Center into Denmark’s Elsinore Castle, adding another dimension to the already deeply-layered tale.

Shakespeare’s text takes on new meaning in this almost interactive world. In a particularly riveting scene, Hamlet (Justin Blanchard) has gone entirely mad and sees the ghost of his dead father. Hamlet questions his mother about the late king’s presence before them, yelling, “You see nothing here?” She replies, “No, nothing but us.” Hamlet usually comes off as a raving lunatic in this scene, but because he directs his lines at the crowd—the first row is standing not two feet away—the audience feels a vague sense of collusion with Hamlet.

The Center itself actually plays as large a role as the actors. Not only does the layout of the building add new meaning to the production, but the lighting and locations within the building allow for added ambience. Already existing and familiarly conventional light sources line the walls and roof, acting as surprisingly effective, dramatic spotlights and backlights, while the locations chosen for specific scenes also lend a hand in telling the story. Outdoor locales, like Ophelia’s (Ginny Myers Lee) funeral, are set right near revolving doors, where the intermittent blast chills audience members, contributing to the inherently somber mood of the text.

The close, intimate, ever-changing atmosphere created by this production is somewhat compromised, however, by the aids who direct audiences to and from each locale in the building. The choppiness of this setup—the contrast between 14th-century Denmark and present-day New York—takes away from the essential other-worldliness and absurdity of the play. Even so, this newest rendition of “Hamlet” is wholly enjoyable, if for no other reason than its seemingly revolutionary presentation.