The Delacorte Theater was packed on Sunday night with those eager to hear these precious six words: “to be or not to be.” With Martin Sheen’s pre-recorded voice welcoming the audience to the show, and views of the Belvedere Castle standing majestically in the backdrop, the venue was filled with dramatic energy and flair. The set, however, a white military-looking ship complete with tiny naval windows and a high-rise deck, was a confusing and distracting addition to the play. This naval theme appeared in the costuming as well, as Claudius entered in a decorated sailor suit and Gertrude in a tweed dress suit. The theme was omnipotent, especially when Laertes is whisked away on a steamer ship just as Polonious calls out to him, “To thine ownself be true.” Director Oskar Eustis’ addition of the naval theme, although allowing metaphorical musings on possible implications of the ship symbol, is extra weight to a production already saddled down with some unconventional interpretations.

Hamlet, played by a remarkably eloquent Michael Stuhlbarg, delivered his soliquys with an extraordinary sensitivity to the language itself, and his delivery of the famous “Get Thee to a Nunnery” dialogue was positively unnerving. Stuhlbarg, however, was less compelling as Hamlet when he attempted to be comical. Stuhlbarg jumped around the stage excitedly and infused his speech with strange and manically screechy yelps, all presumably for comic relief. The audience roared with laughter at these noises and movements, but at times, his comical exclamations compromised the simplicity of Shakespeare’s tragic themes.

Lauren Ambrose, of Six Feed Under fame, played Ophelia with a convincing and pitiable wounded ness that makes her performance the most compelling of the whole play. Her quaking watery voice and her even melodic delivery of the lines brought to life the vulnerable young Ophelia. Her transformation from a naïve young lover to a hysterical lost soul was not only convincing, but devastating, and her suicide was particularly unbearable. In addition, Ambrose, although not a trained vocalist, it seems, sang the funeral songs with vigor and conviction.

In a funny turn of events, many members of the cast have starred on “Law & Order” or other crime shows of that persuasion. Polonious, played by Sam Waterson of “Law & Order” fame, was very good and provides comic relief tinged with genuine fatherly love. Gertrude, played Margaret Colin, made some stunning costume changes, including a furry nightgown for her ultra-tense scene with Hamlet, but did not adequately convey her subsequent love and fear of her son. Claudius, played by Andre Braugher, remained a stock character, losing opportunities to illuminate the fascinating and repenting side of his villainous character. Furthermore, the piece appeared to need a good polishing-up, as a few of the characters forget lines or seem to be hesitant. Although there is nothing rotten within the state of Shakespeare in the Park, and many of the actors bring convincing and moving performances to the table, “Hamlet” is not done justice with this production.

by Alexis Smith