Park Avenue Armory Hamlet/Oresteia schedule changes — Page 2

Count me as one who adored this production and found Lawther to be quite wonderful. He IS a very youthful Hamlet, and I found his take refreshing. I’ve seen a good dozen Hamlets (Ralph Fiennes was my first), and this was my favorite production of the play I’ve yet encountered.

TaffyDavenport said: "Saw this yesterday, and it only ran 3:20. To anyone who's seen it: how does act 1 end? Yesterday, after Claudius runs out of the play, a stagehand came out and told the audience that they were taking a 15-minute pause. At the time, I thought it was part of the production, but seeing how short it ran, I was wondering if there was a technical problem that I didn't realize resulted in something being omitted. Also, I noticed a pic in the NYT review with Hamlet in just his underwear, which definitely didn't happen yesterday, so I'm looking for some insight.

Regardless, I loved it anyway."

That’s how Act 1 ended when I saw it, so probably not a technical problem at your performance. I seem to recall my performance ran about 3:35, though, so it sounds like something might have been cut from the performance you saw. 

I don’t remember Hamlet being in his underwear at any point. It’s been over a month since I saw it, and my visual memory is not great, but I think I would remember that.

They have significantly shortened the overall run times originally announced for both shows. I think a good chunk of this is the result of quite draconian intermission lengths (and start time for the first acts). The program says that Oresteia runs 3:55; it's running 3:35. It runs like a Swiss watch. When the 15 [and then 10 for the 2nd intermission] minute first intermission ends on the clock, the play moves from the interlude (there is action before each part starts). And then the 3rd "break" is only 5 minutes. 

I found the placing of the action in real time, as well as two other arcs that proceed throughout that I won't describe, quite effective.