Stony Brook University’s Staller Center will present a family-friendly dance-theater version of "The Tragedy of Hamlet" starting Friday, Feb. 13, at 8 p.m.
The production, directed by Robert Lepage and choreographed by Guillaume Côté, condenses Shakespeare’s classic story of revenge, murder and politics into a two-hour performance.
"Hamlet" gets its new energy from the collaboration of Lepage and Côté, who streamlined the play while keeping all the story’s core elements intact, making it accessible to audiences unfamiliar with Shakespeare.
In an interview with South Shore Press, Côté said, “What people will enjoy is that it’s a story ballet that’s incredibly physical and incredibly based through movement, but the movement is infused with storytelling the entire time. So, it’s a show that’s very accessible to people.”
He said condensing the play from its sometimes five-hour duration contributes to accessibility while sacrificing none of the drama.
“It has all the elements of the play, and all the elements are familiar and easy to understand,” he said.
Although "Hamlet" is a classic, Côté said the storyline remains timely because it incorporates paranoia, revenge, power and politics.
“It’s all this idea that nobody wins when everyone’s out for revenge and out for power,” he said.
The performance incorporates various styles of dance for some “really great dancing moments,” Côté said. The cast, diverse in age, demonstrates a wealth of ability and maturity, he said, also applauding the director for his efforts.
Côté himself is one of the dancers. In his title role as Hamlet, he brings 27 years of experience as a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada and a lifetime of choreography, for which he has won awards.
“I got to dance all over the world including American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet, but also in Europe,” he said.
Upon retirement, he launched Côté Danse, an artistic company that allows him to explore diverse avenues for dance.
Tickets for "Hamlet" start at $52. Visit the website for more information.