Broad Conversation

Ben Thompson, an actor with The Factory, provides his thoughts about performing in the current production of Hamlet at Blackwell’s Bookshop . . .

‘I first saw Hamlet at Wilton’s Music Hall about 4 years ago and I was struck by how vibrant it was and how a play I thought I knew quite well could sound so fresh to my ears. Little did I think when I watched that performance that I’d find myself in the midst of all the madness, the nerves, the excitement, the immense amount of line learning and verse grappling several years later. It’s great to be a part of this ongoing project as it comes up against a new set of challenges. In the past each performance has been in a different venue and quite often a space in which the relationship between the audience and the actors is a fluid one. Here at Blackwell’s the seating is fixed and so is pretty much all of the performance space. However this only serves to give us something else to play against.

Part of The Factory’s work on Hamlet in performance is to set ourselves certain ‘obstacles’ which stop the actor getting stuck in habits and rhythms as well as hopefully showing parts of the text and story in a new light. Examples of these might be something as simple as not being allowed to touch the ground or perhaps having two actors play the same role at the same time; one speaks the lines from without the performance space　while the other physically responds to what happens within it. The use of the audience’s objects as essential props within the play is yet another way of keeping it fresh for us.

Added to the mix here in Oxford is the fact that we are running Hamlet for three weeks; the longest stretch we’ve done to date so the task will be to keep the freshness and playfulness that The Factory’s work is synonymous with. In the end though all we have is the audience and the text which, at times, in itself　can be a huge mountain to climb; but when (or perhaps if!) you reach the top the view’s amazing.’

Ben will be performing with The Factory in ‘Hamlet’ and ‘The Odyssey’.

‘Hamlet’ runs until Saturday 24th March.

‘The Odyssey’ runs from Thursday 29th March to Saturday 28th April.

Box Office: 01865 766266

Filed under: Bookshop news and events, Creation Theatre, Factory, Hamlet, Norrington Room

We’ve known for months now that Creation Theatre were bringing The Factory to Blackwell’s in March and April with two productions: Hamlet (much acclaimed already and seen by around 15,000 people so far, in venues ranging from The Globe to a London street corner) and The Odyssey (a World Premiere).

It’s about now, however, that the excitement really mounts . . . It’s only weeks away, tickets are selling, anticipation is rising, preparations are more than underway.

Hamlet comes first and without doubt, one of the most intriguing aspects of the production is that the actors put their names in a hat at the beginning of the evening to decide who is playing which part. How versatile is that?! In addition to this, audience members are encouraged to bring their own props, which the actors will work into the play. And of course, all this means that every evening will be a unique experience – the production that you go and see on Monday won’t be the same as the one your friend goes and sees on Tuesday.

The Odyssey will demonstrate the same innovative and dynamic spirit. The Factory won’t necessarily attempt to tell the entire story of The Odyssey every night, (the epic poem is over 12,000 lines long), so instead, audiences will get a different book or books each night – one night it could be the Cyclops, the next night The Lotus Eaters, the night after that the Slaying of the Suitors . . .

Excited? We are and we hope you’ll be able to join us for one (or both) of these productions which will be staged – just as Doctor Faustus was last year – in our world-famous Norrington Room.

Hamlet runs from 5th-24th March. The Odyssey runs from 29th March-28th April. The Creation Box Office number: 01865 766266

Filed under: Bookshop news and events, Creation Theatre, Factory, Hamlet, Norrington Room