“To be, or not to be,” that is the question that Hamlet asks us in No Refund Theatre’s production of “Hamlet” (among others). We’ve all heard the question a million times, and unfortunately the prince of Denmark never gives us an answer — or even a hint. Nevertheless, NRT’s performance of William Shakespeare’s most famous play is a joy to watch.

NRT hasn’t done many classics, and I’ve never seen them tackle Shakespeare. Perhaps that’s to avoid a snooty community theatre stereotype, or simply because the other options were more fun (they were). Either way, I’m glad we got this week’s show.

There’s nothing I can say about the story that hasn’t already been repeated ten times over, but there’s far more to this production than just that. For a show put on immediately following an midterm in the same room, there’s nothing about it that feels hasty or underprepared. The costumes fit each character perfectly, and the set is used to its fullest extent in nearly every scene. The crew, led by director Natalie Savastio, didn’t miss a beat.

The performances, as expected, meet up to NRT’s high precedent. Finn Breault, in the lead role, spits his soliloquies and banter like it’s in regular English, and even then with more fluency than most. Claudius, Hamlet’s evil uncle and step-father — played by Omari Amandio Romu — is equally impressive. If I went on, I think this article would hit the thousand-word mark easy — but every actor in this play acted their ass off. If Shakespearean language feels daunting, don’t worry — the performances clear things up real quick.

So, another NRT is here. Before break and after midterms, why not head over to Forum 111 for a little culture? The Forum building might as well be the Globe. No Refund Theatre’s Hamlet will be performed on November 20th, 21st, and 22nd at 8 p.m.

About the Author

Nathaniel Yerage

All hate mail goes to: ncyerage@gmail.com

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