[Herald Review] Cho Seung-woo takes ‘Hamlet’ crown

When the Seoul Arts Heart introduced its manufacturing of “Hamlet” for the yr, it was met with combined reactions, some asking, “One other Hamlet?”

In any case, the play had already been staged twice in 2024 — as soon as by Seensee Firm (June 9 – Sept. 1) underneath the route of veteran director Sohn Jin-chaek, and once more by the Nationwide Theater Firm of Korea in July in a genre-bending iteration with Princess Hamlet. Each productions had already captured the general public’s consideration, with tickets rapidly offered out.

Nonetheless, when the casting revealed Cho Seung-woo within the title function, anticipation for the newest “Hamlet” manufacturing skyrocketed. A family identify recognized for his commanding performances in musicals reminiscent of “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Jekyll & Hyde,” and his gripping turns in TV sequence like tvN’s “Stranger,” Cho’s star energy made SAC’s “Hamlet” a must-see.

All performances for the month-long run, Oct. 18 to Nov. 17, on the 1,000-seat CJ Towol Theater offered out the minute ticket gross sales opened.

Cho Seung-woo’s much-awaited theater debut

Hamlet is a task that many male actors dream of, and for Cho, it marked one more milestone in his illustrious 24-year performing profession. His stage debut on this iconic Shakespearean tragedy was eagerly anticipated, and the end result was nothing wanting mesmerizing.

The 44-year-old veteran actor’s portrayal of the melancholic Prince of Denmark is a masterful fusion of emotional depth and technical precision. With impeccable diction and a finely tuned sense of rhythm, he navigates the complexities of Hamlet’s emotional panorama, shifting effortlessly between searing inside battle and chilling resolve.

Whether or not grappling with the ethical dilemma of avenging his father’s homicide, mourning Ophelia’s dying, or partaking in witty exchanges with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Cho glides seamlessly from Hamlet’s fiery outrage to moments of chilly calculation. All through the 185-minute runtime, his potential to maintain such demanding consideration with emotional variation retains the efficiency compelling.

That mentioned, the manufacturing’s singular concentrate on Hamlet leaves sure parts underdeveloped. Whereas the supporting characters are well-acted, they don’t obtain the identical depth of exploration or consideration. And this leaves a number of questions unanswered: As an example, why is Ophelia positioned at a distance, watching Hamlet’s “To be, or to not be” soliloquy from the shadows?

For audiences accustomed to different productions of “Hamlet,” this concentrate on the protagonist’s journey might really feel considerably limiting. For these new to “Hamlet,” nonetheless, Cho’s gripping portrayal is greater than sufficient.

‘The Time is out of joint’: Hamlet as man trapped between custom, change

Noteworthy is director Shin’s interpretation of Hamlet as a person burdened by the burden of custom and historical past.

Hamlet’s line, “The time is out of joint, O cursed spite, That ever I used to be born to set it proper!” encapsulates the manufacturing’s central theme. Trapped in a world that resists change, the Danish prince desperately tries to navigate its inflexible, decaying order, as Shin writes in this system guide.

This battle is alluded to in Claudius and Gertrude’s traces, who, early within the play, urge Hamlet to desert his research at Wittenberg — reinterpreted as an try and stifle his potential for revolutionary ideas. Wittenberg, with its historic ties to Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, stands in stark distinction to the inertia of the Danish courtroom.

The manufacturing additionally highlights the distinction between Hamlet and Fortinbras, a personality usually sidelined or omitted in Korean variations because of the cultural distance from European historical past.

On this manufacturing, Fortinbras serves as a stark foil to Hamlet: An energetic, forward-moving power decided to reclaim his land and assert his energy. This distinction drives Hamlet into profound self-reflection and, as he’s respiration his final, he bequeaths him Denmark, recognizing Fortinbras’ energy.

As Cho’s Hamlet ascended the steps in a mushy mist following his closing curtain name, the viewers held its breath. His commanding presence on stage left an plain impression, heightening anticipation for what this actor would deliver to future stage performances.