For milestones in its history, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival turns to Hamlet. It was the tenth anniversary production in 2010 and has been chosen again for this year’s 25th anniversary. The current production takes a place of honor in the long line of the festival’s gifts to the St. Louis community.

The most obvious innovation for this year’s festival is a large rectangular platform that thrusts forward from the traditional stage in Shakespeare Glen. Director Michael Sexton takes full advantage of the platform’s depth in his staging. The play-within-the-play, Ophelia’s funeral, and the fencing match are particularly well done.

Another favorite location of Sexton’s is the upper level of the traditional stage. Characters on the upper level have consequential interactions with characters on the platform. Scott Neale designed the imposing set.

Sexton speeds transitions between some of the scenes by overlapping entrances and exits. At the end of Scene One, for example, the courtiers in Scene Two come on before the Ghost of Hamlet’s father has gone. I appreciate Sexton’s streamlining the action in a play that is still very long even after thoughtfully applied cutting.

The entire cast must be praised for the uniform beauty and understanding with which Shakespeare’s language is spoken. In the title role, the excellent Michael Khalid Karadsheh is on the younger side of his character’s possible ages.

Karadsheh pays exceedingly close attention to Hamlet’s state of mind. To give three of many examples, Hamlet’s depression is palpable in his first scene; his exhilaration is manic after he hears the ghost’s account of his father’s death; and his antic disposition in Act Two is an exact match for Polonius’s famous observation, “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” Karadsheh makes his soliloquies highly personal and richly communicative.

Reginald Pierre leaves no doubt about why Horatio’s friendship means so much to Hamlet. Pierre imbues his compelling, firmly grounded Horatio with the steadfastness of purpose the prince himself longs for.

Glenn Fitzgerald’s Claudius is at the top of his game in the first scene at the court. Fitzgerald then shows how Claudius devolves when troubles come, as he says, “not single spies, but in battalions.” Jennifer Ikeda’s Gertrude is a woman in her prime who cares deeply for both her son and her new husband.

In Mark Nelson’s astute portrayal of Polonius, his foolish moments are not the complete picture of the counselor who still has the trust of the king and queen. Polonius’ farewell speech to Laertes is so heartfelt and convincing that it drew well-earned applause from the opening night audience.

At the start of closet scene, the focus is on Polonius, who is eavesdropping on Hamlet and Gertrude from behind the arras. Hamlet and Gertrude cannot be seen in her chamber until Hamlet pulls down the arras after stabbing Polonius. Reversing the usual perspective on this scene was a splendid idea.

Grayson DeJesus’s fiery opening night portrayal of Laertes gave no indication that DeJesus assumed the part on extremely short notice after the originally cast Vaughn Pole was injured.

Initially, Sarah Chalfie’s Ophelia is engagingly assertive rather than passive. Later, Chalfie makes it clear how deeply Ophelia is affected when Hamlet upbraids her at the start of Act Three. Even in her madness, Chalfie’s Ophelia is assertive. She lashes out instead of languishing.

Larry Paulsen is outstanding in three small but crucial parts. He is a commanding figure as the ghost, a spellbinding performer as the actor who tears up at the end of a speech about Hecuba, and a nimble comedian as the gravedigger.

The fine supporting performers include CB Brown, Max Fiorello, Daisy Held, Mitchell Henry-Eagles, Brady Lewis, Charlie Mathis, and Ryan Omar Stack.

Oana Botez’s costumes and Sam Gaitsch’s choreography locate the production in a suitable modern setting. Brandon Wolcott’s sound design and music are apt and affecting. Denisse Chavez’s lighting includes striking uses of bright light. Zev Steinrock choreographed the intimacy as well as the exciting fencing match at the end.

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s 25th anniversary production of Hamlet continues through June 22 in Shakespeare Glen, 6604 Fine Arts Drive.

—Gerry Kowarsky

Photo © Phillip Hamer Photography
The play within the play in Hamlet.