Stage Write

This year marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Yet centuries later the themes of his plays prove timeless and relevant. Hamlet, a First Folio production currently being staged at Ben Davis, tells the familiar tale of a young man consumed by grief and revenge. The plot of Hamlet, like so many of Shakespeare's other works, could've been written today .  This production has been edited down to a brisk 2 hours. Extended scenes with the players and characters like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern end up on the cutting room floor, but the show flows beautifully. A few rearranged scenes and the audience is thrown into the action quickly and left hanging when the intermission comes. Glenn Dobbs direction keeps things moving smoothly.   The whole show feels more action packed than other more reflective stagings. The final swordfight, choreographed by Scott Russell, is one of the best I’ve seen. Each fighter has a sword and dagger and they duel with convincing s