Hamlet
Minerva Theatre, Chichester
Until Sat 4th October 2025
I have a shocking confession. Although I have seen various versions of Hamlet on screen, heavily abridged on stage and know passages of the text well, I cannot recall seeing a full version of the tragic tale before last night at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester.
Hamlet is the longest of Shakespeare‘s plays and this condensed version still merits the earlier than usual start time of 7.15pm. Directed by Chichester’s Artistic Director Justin Audibert, the tragedy deals with the search for truth and painful personal struggles and the desire to enact revenge to restore honour.
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
Lily Arnold’s set is simple yet effective, as well as centre stage where courtly scenes are played, it has a room set above for more intimate scenes and a small earthy area linking the two. Ryan Day’s lighting help to create atmosphere. The play is set in the early 20th century, and the costumes are generally in muted colours except for Orphelia, who starts the play in bold bright colours in stark contrast to Hamlet’s black.
Leading a great cast and taking the helm as the Danish Prince is Olivier Award winning Giles Terera who plays a thoughtful and measured Hamlet stricken with grief and betrayal, his descent to madness is measured and almost calculating. Eve Ponsonby’s Ophelia is superb, her descent from being optimistically giddy and jovial into madness caused by her misfortunes was hard to watch. Another stand out performance came from was Kier Charles as the ambitious Polonius eager to hold sway at court using his own daughter as collateral.
Overall, I really enjoyed the production, the intertwining of political intrigue and family dynamics truly cements Hamlet as one of the greatest plays of all time and another Chichester triumph.
Reviewer: Sammi O’Neill
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hamlet is playing at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester until the 4th October
Tickets.
Three and a half hours (including interval)
Cast
Hamlet Giles Terera.
Fortinbras Ozzy Aigbomian.
Osric David Angland.
Marcellus Nana Amoo-Gottfried.
Old Hamlet / Player King Geoff Aymer.
Claudius Ariyon Bakare.
Polonius Kier Charles.
Barnardo / Gravedigger Two Simon Darwen.
Player Queen / Gravedigger One Beaty Edney.
Voltemand Nick Howard-Brown.
Laertes Ryan Hutton.
Ophelia Eve Ponsonby.
Gertrude Sara Powell.
Rosencrantz Tim Preston.
Guildenstern Jay Saighal.
Horatio Sam Swann.
Venue
The Two Chichester Venues are incredible spaces. The Minerva is smaller than the Chichester Festival Theatre yet both offer excellent sightlines and comfortable seating. If travelling from outside Chichester the venues can be reached by car (nearby carpark, free after 8pm) and train.