Fifty years since it appeared on the very same stage, Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead has returned to the Old Vic. The absurdist comedy is directed by David Leveaux, and three acts have been reduced to two, with the interval falling after the dress rehearsal of The Murder of Gonzago. This works rather nicely, although it does make The first act twice as long as the second.
The play follows the minor characters from Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and takes place ‘in the wings of Shakespeare.’ The characters appear on stage when they are off-stage in Hamlet and catch only brief glimpses of the on stage action “incidents, all we get is incidents” says Rosencrantz. As a result they are thoroughly confused and bewildered about what is happening around them. A group of players led by the superb David Haig as ‘The Player’, as well as the principal cast of Hamlet, continually interrupt the duo’s misadventures and word play games.
Rosencrantz is played by Daniel Radcliffe, while Guildernstern is Joshua McGuire. The pair work extremely well together, much is made of the plays similarity to Waiting for Godot, mainly for the two principals appearing to be one and the same character; they continually refer to each other by their own name, finish each other’s sentences, and so on. This is important, because it is the aspect Radcliffe and McGuire have perfected. The synergy between the two is immense, and they allow their own distinct characteristics to fuse together beautifully. As a double act, this duo are incredible.
The staging works well, with excellent use of light and shadow. The costumes, and in particular those of the players, are exquisite, showing off the elegant movements of the ensemble.
As with most of Stoppard’s work, some advance understanding of the play, or in this case, of Hamlet, is helpful. Otherwise you may find yourself as confused as Rosencrantz and Guildernstern as to what is actually happening. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy it without the foreknowledge, there is much to appreciate, not least the very accomplished performances from David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe and Joshua McGuire. Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are Dead is a fantastically funny, madcap night of theatre.
