Hamlet is arguably the most iconic character in English literature.  I have had the pleasure of having worked on it in various ways as an actor for the last 30 years and until this project came up, I had decided the role was a whinny youth grappling with indecision.  I could not have been more wrong.  While preparing to director this project, I was constantly confronted with the ineptitude of my own assumptions.  My research revealed a deeply philosophical soul who is managing their grief as a young person for the first time.  This is something we all go through and it highlights very clearly the shared humanity that Hamlet represents for us.  The character considers so many facets of our existence and constantly questions their place in the world.  Hamlet isn’t suicidal.  Hamlet isn’t indecisive.  Hamlet is self-reflective. 

We will all lose someone very important to us; family, mentors, lovers and friends.  Each loss is different and we process our grief in a myriad of ways.  This is the power of Hamlet, that sense of loss and how we respond to it.  Hamlet grieves her father, mother and Ophelia in the play and each one is expressed so differently.  That in no way lessens or creates a comparative experience for her grief.  It simply is and manifests uniquely each time.

When we first started this process and I spoke with other theatre makers, I was surprised to see how reverent and downright fearful many of them were of this story.  Most of them had a very sacred view of the work.  I have never felt that way about a story…ever.  My job is being a storyteller and I have always been elevated towards the epic.  I love grand tales with a vast narrative; my favorite stories are the ends of civilizations and the rebirth that is inevitable after dynasties crumble.  So, the approach to Hamlet was the same as always; analyze, define, build a world, play within that world and tell the story.  This is a masterpiece for a reason.  The story is vast and detailed and quite compact considering its original length of about 4.5 hours on stage.  We made a cut that brings it to a swift 2 hours and 45 minutes by taking out the Fortinbras story line, which is the dynastic threat, and distilled it down to Hamlet’s reconciliation with grief.  Even that much of a cut doesn’t dilute the impact of Hamlet’s journey.  One mandate I made was to keep as many of the iconic quotes as possible and there are lots.  I have also known from very early on that gender is not a barrier when we are discussing humanity and universal truths.  Our Hamlet, played by Susi Mauer, is exactly that, a universally recognizable young person grappling with their grief. 

Now that my job is finished, I can say that it was absolute joy creating this version of Hamlet and if I’m honest, it was probably the easiest Shakespeare play I have ever directed because it is so elegantly crafted.  Thanks for the words Bill, you really nailed it with this one.

PJ Escobio

May 28^th 2026