REVIEW: I Hate Hamlet at the Vortex

RAVING RICHARD RADIO REVIEW, FOR LIVE BROADCAST ON JUNE 17, 2008: KKIM, 1000 AM., ALBUQUERQUE, AND 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE
GREETINGS AGAIN FROM THEATRELAND! THIS WEEKEND STARTED AN EXTENDED RUN AT THE VORTEX OF A PLAY CALLED "I HATE HAMLET." I SAY EXTENDED, AS IT WILL BE RUNNING ALONG WITH "GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA" ON VARIOUS WEEKENDS THROUGH AUGUST 3, SO YOU NEED TO CHECK WITH THE VORTEX TO CONFIRM PERFORMANCE DATES.
FROM THE TITLE, YOU WOULD THINK "I HATE HAMLET!" HAS MUCH TO DO ABOUT THE CLASSIC SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY "HAMLET," AND TO AN EXTENT IT DOES--AT LEAST THERE IS SOME REFERENCE TO QUOTATIONS SUCH AS "TO BE OR NOT TO BE...." ALSO, JOHN BARRYMORE'S ROLE IS PROMINENTLY STAGED THROUGHOUT THE PLAY IN FORM OF A GHOST WHO CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE REAL-LIFE ACTOR FROM HOLLYWOOD WHO IS RELUCTANT TO PLAY THE PART OF HAMLET IN A PLAY TO BE PERFORMED IN NEW YORK. THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE GIST OF THE MAIN PLOT, BUT THERE ARE SUBPLOTS, TOO, ESPECIALLY THE COMEDIC ANTICS OF AN AGENT FROM THE WEST COAST WHO TRIES TO LURE RYAN JASON COOK, THE TV STAR, AWAY TO TAKE A LUCRATIVE FILM CONTRACT.
THERE ARE OTHER CHARACTERS, OF COURSE, AND YOU CAN GET MORE DETAILS FROM LAST FRIDAY'S "VENUE" IN THE JOURNAL, WHICH WILL MAKE A LOT MORE SENSE AFTER YOU SEE THE PLAY RATHER THAN FROM THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTION. IT'S A FUNNY PLAY, AND THE ACTING IS FIRST-RATE, BY A VERY TALENTED CAST. MORE FAMILIAR NAMES IN THE CAST ARE DEAN ELDON SQUIBB AND LEIGH-ANN SANTILLANES, TOGETHER WITH LINDA WILLIAMS, LESLEE RICHARDS, AND ROBERT JOHNSON. WHO'S QUITE A COMEDIAN. THE DIRECTOR IS BRIAN HANSEN.
"I HATE HAMLET" IS SCHEDULED TO PLAY WEEKENDS THROUGH JULY 27, BUT THE OTHER PLAY WILL BE INTERSPERSED ON SELECTED DATES. FOR INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS, CALL THE VORTEX AT 247-8600.
THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THESE COMMENTARIES BY ME, RAVING RICHARD, HEARD HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE ON KKIM, CHRISTIAN RADIO FOR NEW MEXICO, AND ON 94.7 F.M., SANTA FE; ALSO SEEN ON THE INTERNET AT KKIMAM1000.COM AND ALBTHEATRE.ORG. TIL NEXT WEEK....