Hamnet is a moving and uncomplicated tale about marriage, family, and grief.
Warwickshire, 1582. Agnes Hathaway, a gifted healer, and William Shakespeare, a Latin tutor, are brought together by a powerful, yet concealed attraction. They build a life and a family together, but their world is shattered when the plague claims the life of their beloved son, Hamnet, at the age of 11. The couple is left to confront their individual grief, but amidst their suffering, a remarkable transformation takes place, leading to something extraordinary.
Hamnet is a universal story about family dynamics, the catastrophic effects of a child’s death, and the necessary reinvention needed to overcome and make peace with pain.
Hamnet is the latest book adaptation to hit West End Theatres and this story of the mostly undocumented family of William Shakespeare is a literary success, but can the theatrical version live up to these heights?
Unlike the novel, the play unfolds linearly instead of cutting back and forth, which does appear to create some uncertainty in the audience about the role of certain characters. Thankfully this is straightened out before the second act and it’s in this later half that the show comes into its stride. Overall the adaptation is fairly simplistic without straying too much from the original text. Much of the first act works as set up which at times does make the pacing a little slow, but in the second half, the storyline comes into its own. The ghostly visions of the twin children in the first act are reminiscent of how ghosts appear and are prominent in Shakespeare’s work which is a really nice touch.
The performances overall have a gentle, homely quality to them which makes it feel like you are peering in on a family’s intimate life. The elements of magical realism are done without exaggeration or dramatic effects and this works with the naturalistic feeling of the time. This is backed up by the general natural, earthy feel of the set, which is full of wood, flowers and fruit and leans into Agetha’s spiritual connection to the earth. This set also works as a traditional Jacobean wooden theatre, and this is even before the transition to becoming the famous Globe Theatre towards the end of the performance.
Madeline Mantock’s performance as Agnes is subtle and naturalistic for the most part which cresended to a moment full of raw emotion as we witness her deal with grief in a way that makes the audience unable to not feel the power of it. Unfortunately, the ending of the show doesn’t quite hold this power and you are left wishing it ended on a stronger note.
Hamnet is on at the Garrick Theatre until February 2024.
