Hamlet: Prince of Cuba

The look, the feel of a Dali painting coming to life on stage and bombarding you with lines from Hamlet was what I immediately felt when I sat through the first 15 minutes.

Imagine two independence wars and revolts against major political figures. Take some of those historical facts put them in a blender with Hamlet and you get a rich rendition of a great Shakespearean play.

For those of you who don't know or just simply need a reminder of Shakespeare's Hamlet, I'll quickly give you some highlights. This play explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption. A tragedy set in Denmark, this play dramatizes Hamlet's revenge on his uncle for murdering his father and then taking his mother as his wife. Yes, I just summed it all up in two sentences.

This production puzzles and intrigues you, meanwhile taking you down this twisted road of lies, deceit and madness. Frankie J. Alvarez who portrayed Hamlet, gave us a performance that will make you believe he could be actually a bit mad. Why the Cuban relationship to Hamlet? “The relationship to Hamlet came out of being in Florida right now, and feeling like there is a great disconnect between the Anglo and the Latino communities,” said Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards. “That disconnect is language.”

Major turning points of the Cuban culture added with the turmoil of Shakespeare's Hamlet will give you a good basis and groundwork for this production. Transporting us to the Havana of today with amazing scenery and beautiful architecture that can only be compared to a time lost in a nostalgic postcard. A bit of Cuban history and you can see what makes it such a rich playground for a rendition of Hamlet.

'Hamlet: Prince of Cuba' will run in English on March 23^rd through May 6 in the Mertz Theatre. Two performances in Spanish will take place on May 3^rd at 8 p.m. and May 5^th at 2 p.m.

For tickets and more information:

Asolo Repertory Theatre

5555 North Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, Florida 34243

Email Us: [email protected]

Phone: 941.351.9010

Box Office: 941.351.8000 or 800.361.8388