“Hamlet” might be one of the most adapted properties of all time. When taking stock of those adaptations, the story mostly stays the same, but the focus usually changes.
It all comes down to preference – maybe you’re like Laurence Olivier, concentrating mostly on the psychology of the character and fascinated by his Oedipus complex (so much so that he cast 28-year-old Eileen Herlie to play his mother. He was 40). Or you’re more like Kenneth Branagh, interested in delivering a four-hour, word-for-word epic. Or, you fancy yourself like Michael Almereyda, updating the story to take place in modern-day New York City, replacing kings with CEOs.
The most recent version, directed by Aneil Karia, forgoes the four hours of it all, but takes bits and pieces of the rest while still adding its own spin on things. This adaptation of “Hamlet” takes place in modern-day London within a wealthy South Asian community, starring Riz Ahmed as the titular prince – the heir to a construction company rather than a country.
Read Sammie’s full list on Rough Draft
