HAMLET (SOLO) to be Presented at Soulpepper Theatre This Month

Soulpepper Theatre will present the internationally celebrated Hamlet (solo), performed by Raoul Bhaneja, directed by Robert Ross Parker, and produced by Hope and Hell Theatre Co. Hamlet (solo) will be on stage for a limited run from May 23 to May 25, 2024.

Winner of the 2022 Best Actor Award at New York's United Solo Festival, the world's largest festival of solo work, winner of the 2006 Montreal English Critics Circle Award for Best Visiting Production, and nominee for the 2012 Calgary Critics Award for Best Solo Show, Hamlet (solo) has been performed over 150 times in 25 different cities since its debut at Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto in 2006. 

Hamlet (solo) combines the ancient art of storytelling with the modern solo show. It is a thrilling evening focusing on the three most essential elements of theatre: the actor, the text, and the audience. This production is best described as “bare bones” in its presentation, with Bhaneja playing seventeen parts in a two-hour version using only Shakespeare's text.

An exceptional and rare experience for both the novice and Shakespeare enthusiast, this critically acclaimed production has been enjoyed by audiences as diverse as the people of Inuvik, a community north of the Arctic Circle, and the next generation of Britain's young actors at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. 

“I've had the great fortune to be wrestling with this monumental piece of writing, possibly the greatest play ever written, for over 20 years. It's a privilege to re-engage with this essential work in such a distilled, intimate manner, and it continues to reveal itself to me in new ways. My director, Robert Ross Parker, and I have had the opportunity to bring audiences a unique experience of the play, which we've taken to all corners of the world. This being a rare return to Toronto for the project, and it is happening here at Soulpepper in particular, where Weyni is boldly forging ahead with reimagining the classics, it feels like we are in the right place at the right time. After a 23-year absence from the company, the late Daniel Brooks brought me back here to Soulpepper with his production of The Seagull, and I'm grateful he reconnected me to this special place.” - Raoul Bhaneja, actor.

"Raoul Bhanja's 'Hamlet (solo)' is a tour de force, stripping down Shakespeare's classic to its essential elements of The Actor, The Text, and The Audience. This re-imagination has a 20-year history, touring all over Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. I am excited to see how Raoul's masterful telling of this classic has evolved and deepened. Don't miss this outstanding production's return to Toronto, where it all began!"- Weyni Mengesha, Artistic Director.

Raoul Bhaneja is one of Canada's most recognizable stage and screen actors, with extensive credits in both mediums. He is a Gemini, Dora, Canadian Comedy Award nominee and Christopher Plummer Artistic Fellowship Award winner. He is also a celebrated blues musician and winner of a Maple Blues Award for his band Raoul and The Big Time.

Robert Ross Parker is a Canadian director, writer, and actor based in New York. He is the co-artistic director of the Obie-winning Vampire Cowboys. His U.S. Credits include Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Geffen, Playwright's Realm, Ma-Yi, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Soho Rep, The Lark, New Dramatists, and The Flea. His Canadian credits include Mirvish, The Citadel, RMTC, NAC, GCTC, and fu-GEN.  

Performance Details

Hamlet (solo)

A Soulpepper Theatre presentation of the Hope and Hell Theatre Co. Production

 

When: May 23 and May 24, 2024, at 7:30 pm and May 25, 2024, at 1:30 pm

Opening Night: Thursday, May 23, 2024, 2024 at 7:30 pm

Where: Baillie Theatre, Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane

Price: Tickets range from $65.00 to $87.00, incl. fees and taxes

Runtime: 2 hours and 15  minutes including intermission.

 

To purchase tickets: https://www.soulpepper.ca/performances/hamletsolo

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