To be, or not to be, that is the question

Last week, a group of dedicated A level English Literature students and stalwart English teachers took a trip to the National Theatre after school to watch Hamlet. As Mr Wootton urged, “You need to see the play to understand it!” His words proved prescient as we emerged from the Lyttelton theatre with a clearer understanding of the chronology of events in the play and a deeper appreciation of how staging can influence the play’s effects.

We were intrigued by the insinuation of a romantic relationship between Hamlet and Rosencrantz which Hiran Abeysekera leaned into. His energy and irreverence was extremely watchable and kept us invested till the end. Another highlight was the Gravedigger’s scene, which was brought to life with its comedy and gallows humour.

Ms Desai left the play with the insight that “it all comes down to one word: hesitation” and with that in mind, we were ready to take the play on again with fresh eyes.