US Edition'Hamlet' and 8 Other Modern Reimaginings of Shakespeare
The adaptation keeps Shakespeare’s original language while setting the story in a contemporary South Asian British family, with critics praising its performances and visuals.
- On Friday, director Aneil Karia's modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet", starring Riz Ahmed, opens in theaters. Ahmed portrays the grieving prince mourning his father's death in this contemporary reimagining.
- The film reimagines the play within a modern South Asian British family, centering on Elsinore, a real estate company involved in illegal clearing of homeless camps. This corporate corruption backdrop modernizes Shakespeare's themes of power and betrayal.
- Screenwriter Michael Lesslie adapted the script, paring Shakespeare's play to essentials. Timothy Spall as Polonius and Morfydd Clark as Ophelia support Ahmed's performance with what critics call "subdued gusto" in intimate family dynamics.
- Director Karia brings a gritty visual style informed by his background directing British rap videos. Ahmed said the film explores "How to be a good person in a crazy world?", a question he found surprisingly modern.
- Blending Elizabethan verse with contemporary themes, the production demonstrates Shakespeare's enduring power. Universal questions of tradition, money, and family hold the same weight in modern London as they did in Denmark centuries ago.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Ahmed stood out before ‘Hamlet’
British actor Riz Ahmed is an Academy Award winner, but it still feels like he somehow goes under the radar. Perhaps because he’s not in many blockbusters (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and “Jason Bourne” aside). Still he’s built a quietly excellent career always working with interesting filmmakers and selecting quality projects. With his electrifying performance as the title role in “Hamlet” in theaters this week, check out the best of Ahmed’s…
Rice Ahmed delivers a performance typically inhabited in a modern adaptation of the famous room.
Riz Ahmed breaks down the drama and his quest for revenge in the new film ‘Hamlet’ - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
Taking on the role of ‘Hamlet’ requires an appreciation of poetry, which is why a new film with the same name stars a British actor who is also a rapper. Equipped with his own rhyming skills, Alex Miranda has more. This is Hamlet with a different vibe. Riz Ahmed is breaking down the drama, and while the film is about revenge, this one does have a shift in tone. From black and white to color. Whether on stage or at a grocery store, this question …
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