Zoë Newcomb
Editor in Chief
As the rain began to fall outside grimy prison windows, a bone-chilling shriek pierced the eerie silence of the Alcatraz hospital. Turning to escape from fanatical women running in circles and throwing flowers in the air, guests found themselves trapped on the island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay.
No, not a horror movie, but an innovative new production of “Hamlet” put on by We Players, an acting troop known for enacting classic plays in unique locations like a former landfill or a Civil War-era stone fort underneath Golden Gate Bridge.
As audience members step onto the ferry to Alcatraz, they are transported into the paranormal and gruesome Shakespearean play about greed, power and murder. Spectators are guided around the island and throughout normally off-limits areas of Alcatraz, receiving an unprecedented tour of the infamous prison.
The audience follows the actors as they play off the unnerving atmosphere of the former prison, moving through buildings and across the 42-acre island as the saga of a prince seeking revenge for his father’s murder unfolds.
The shrieking women running in circles are a modern interpretation of Ophelia, Hamlet’s love interest who ultimately commits suicide. The portrayal of each facet of Ophelia’s personality by different actresses is one of the most intriguing aspects of the production. As we see each Ophelia slowly and poignantly unravels, the audience is able to more fully understand the inner conflict that drives her to take her own life.
Also notable are the intricate sword-fighting sequences attributed to stuntman Tramoas Thomson, known for his work on “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “National Treasure” — impressive for a community production with a $52,000 budget. Actors and crew, aside from the stage manager, work on a voluntary basis due to Alcatraz regulations that inhibit We Players to charge for tickets. Recognition must also be given to director Ava Roy, a 29-year-old who was able to coordinate the already complex production while dealing with the issues of doing a play in a State Park.
Four hours standing up in the cold Alcatraz fog and rain is certainly not ideal theater conditions — however, the atmosphere intensifies the tenor of the performance. There is nothing cushy about a play filled with murder and ghosts.
It is to be expected that many curious viewers will be deterred by the length of the play and the abnormal conditions of the theater, but the atypical location is part of what separates this production of “Hamlet” from the countless other adaptations seen around the world.
The spirit and enigma of the play embodies the tone prevalent throughout the written play. If Shakespeare were alive today, Alcatraz may well have been exactly the stage he would have chosen to present his work.
“Hamlet” on Alcatraz runs on Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 21, departing from Pier 33 in San Francisco. Tickets are free, with a suggested donation of $60. More information is available online at http://www.weplayers.org.
— Emma Herlihy contributed to this story
