Hamlet (St Ann's Warehouse) NYC Reviews and Tickets

85%

(59 Reviews)

Positive

93%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Absorbing, Great staging, Masterful, Riveting

About the Show

Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga makes her American theatrical debut as Shakespeare's beloved tragic hero.

From the show:

Academy Award nominee® Ruth Negga makes her “mesmerizing” American theatrical debut with a passionate, critically acclaimed portrayal, featuring an ensemble of leading Irish actors. Under Yaël Farber’s direction, focus shifts from anguish and identity to the power of resistance.

Member Reviews (59)

Masterful, Some subpar performances, Negga dazzles, Spectacular images, Riveting

See it if you'd like Hmlt thru new eyes. Glorious images! Negga's yg-male Hamlet is full of energy/humor. Duffin's Oph soars. Some immersive staging.

Don't see it if you want strg ensemble. Male cast disappoints. Too many males/not enough POC. But fabulous staging/Negga. Memorable. Words clearly spoken.

Entertaining, Old fashioned, Great diction, Great acting

See it if Great acting with surprisingly wonderfully enunciation. Hamlet played by a woman was seamless. Clever, good looking sets. Enjoyable!

Don't see it if Too traditional. Lacking in creativity or innovation.

Intelligent, Great acting, Clever, Ambitious, Absorbing

See it if fan of Ruth Negga & how well she plays an intelligent, petulant teen, discover different approach to Hamlet very well-staged, strong support

Don't see it if you do not wish to see yet another Hamlet, do not like female actors as male characters, 3+hr. length of play & language too daunting,

Several fine performances, Uneven, Handsome, Absorbing

See it if you want to see an absorbing (albeit uneven) production of great warhorse with several fine performances.

Don't see it if you’re tired of Hamlet; this one doesn’t have enough new to tell you to warrant a trip to the theater. Read more

Well spoken, Intelligent, Great staging, Great acting, Absorbing

See it if Negga's performance is nothing short of miraculous; great Polonius and Ophelia; production makes the play lucid and clear

Don't see it if Laertes could have been stronger; not a fan of overly long plays or the language of Shakespeare; a little heavy on the incense and smoke

Riveting, Masterful, Great staging, Great acting, Enthralling

See it if traditional Shakespeare tragedy where title role performed masterfully; Negga performs with her whole body - eyes, face; articulates clearly

Don't see it if long at 3.5 hours.* Don't like dark minimalist staging. Don't want darkness or violence. Read more

Frequent use of heavy smoke made breathing difficult., A week later i still dont know how i feel.

See it if The only woman I ever saw play a man well was Glenda Jackson. Similarly Ruth Negga's gender never interfered with my belief she was he.

Don't see it if You want bright lights and color. You dont like Shakespeare rearranged, cut and dry. You dont like modern dress Shakespeare. Read more

Riveting, Must see, Great acting, Masterful, Exquisite

See it if You enjoy Shakespeare presented at it's best. Ruth Negga rocks as Hamlet

Don't see it if You are a Shakespearean purist

Critic Reviews (12)

CRITIC’S PICK. "Ruth Negga Rules as a Player Prince Yaël Farber’s stunning, Dublin-born interpretation of this eternal classic finds the dizzying layers of performance that rule all our lives."
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4/5 Stars. "Even if you know what lies around each corner of the plot, Farber’s imaginative stagecraft is riveting...Communing with a centuries-old text but vigorously alive in the here and now, this is the rare Shakespeare production that’s more séance than revival."
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"Ruth Negga’s Hamlet Is a Sweet Prince—But It’s Not a Good Night"
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"Ruth Negga makes her American stage debut as the grieving Danish prince in director Yaël Farber's moody take on Shakespeare's timeless tragedy about one man pushing back against corrupt power."
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Grade: B. "Ruth Negga crowns herself a brooding prince in Hamlet."
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"Negga’s sly, shy, but ardent prince feels everything too deeply and responds too sharply; he changes identity and beliefs with a speed that seems callow, but is true to the hormonal churn of being young, gifted, and heroic."
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