www.montereycountynow.com JULY 4-10, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 31 ON STAGE After kicking off the season with fantastic Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, New Canon Theatre Co. has not let fans catch a breath. Now playing is their exquisite take on The Tragedy of Hamlet. This longest play by Shakespeare can be acutely modern in its approach to mental illness, and New Canon hit the sweet spot between postmodern, humorous and the original text and language of The Bard. The garden of Blue Fox Cellars, a boutique winery in Carmel Valley, becomes Denmark, where the story takes place. Director J. Matthew Gordon resolves the tension of waiting for “to be, or not to be” in the opening, when all the actors chant the famous line before the action starts. Hamlet, portrayed by Los Angeles- and Seattle-based Christopher Morson, couldn’t have been better cast—youthful, dramatic, energetic, mischievous and reckless, but also reasonable in his suspicions, the reader of Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (“Words, words, words”) that he pressed on cunning Polonius (Christopher McElwain), the father of Ophelia and Laertes. Hamlet’s companion, Horatio, is played wonderfully by Noah Lucé, both as a friend and as a source of entertainment, seeking the audience’s understanding with knowing but helpless glances. Ophelia (Celeste Lagrange) is haunting in her despair. Her sister, Leartes—a brother in the original play—is captivating in her energy, bravery and dueling skills. Casting a female, Shannon Donovan, in this role shifts the general effect charmingly, highlighting the possibility of being a woman-revenger, not unlike many of the heroines of current action cinema. Humorous moments are emphasized without losing the brooding darkness of the play. Even the timing of the curtain is well selected. The play starts at 7:30pm, when the sun is still strong, descending into night before the dramatic ending. The actors are also a chorus, filling the space with disturbing whispers. Blood, in the form of a dark red cloth, is spilled abundantly. Fair warning, it’s a violent play. New Canon’s presentation is also a triumph. It would be a mistake to miss this adaptation of Hamlet. The Tragedy of Hamlet. 7:30pm ThursdaysSaturdays; 6pm on Sundays through July 14. Blue Fox Cellars, 25 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley. $48; $40 on Sundays; $38/$30 seniors, teaches, military; $15/$10 students. 275-1441 newcanontheatre.org. GLEN MCDOWELL PHOTOGRAPHY The Soul of Hamlet The New Canon Theatre is back with an excellent take on Shakespeare’s tragedy. By Agata Pop˛eda Hamlet, portrayed by Los Angeles- and Seattle-based actor Christopher Morson. The cast of the play consists of local and regional talent and out-of-state actors. monterey jazz all-Star brunch every Sunday, Starting 11 am 8940 carmel Valley road, carmel 831-293-7500
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