Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Lane Michael Stanley
Cohesion Theatre Company | March 4-20, 2016
This production of Hamlet was set in 1993 Seattle to draw parallels between Hamlet’s apathy and the grunge era. Lane cast female and transgender actors in many of the roles, and changed the pronouns and references in the text so the character of Hamlet was female.
Primarily for their work on Hamlet, Lane was awarded Best Director in Baltimore City Paper’s 2016 Best of Baltimore. Hamlet won Best Classic Work from the Baltimore United Local Stage & Hidden Independent Theatre Awards.
Praise for Hamlet
"Only in its second season, Cohesion has made an admirable mark on the local ensemble theater scene with imaginative choices of material and concepts. This Hamlet reconfirms 'what a piece of work' the company is."
The Baltimore Sun
"Cohesion serves an incredibly emotional Hamlet, one that made me care, that made me stand, that opens a can of worms. This is a Hamlet that finds it marks brutally, hotly, humanly."
The Bad Oracle
"I have a new favorite production of Hamlet and I saw it right here in Charm City. I've seen Hamlet done very well before, but I've never seen anything like this."
DC Metro Theater Arts
"In terms of inspired audacity, it certainly deserves credit."
WYPR
"Remarkable work from exceptional talent, this is the Shakespearean production in Baltimore to see this spring."
Theatre Bloom
Hamlet was featured in The New York Times and USA Today.
Photos by Shealyn Jae Photography.