So earlier this week Rache tried to get us standby ticket to Hamlet at the Donmar but it proved too popular and we missed out. This time she got there for 7.45am! over an hour earlier than on Tuesday. She STILL wasn’t the first person in line! Two friends of Rache’s were also supposed to turn up to get tickets (each person can get a maximum of six tickets and there were five of us planning to go) but they never did. Rache did some fast talking and managed to get a person in the line to nap an extra ticket so she had three in total. Thankfully that meant that Rita and I could go along with Rache.

Hamlet, the season, at the Donmar has I think been sold out for quite a while and with a draw card such as Jude Law its no wonder. The tickets we were going for, there are about 30 released every day, are literally standing tickets with about ten in the Stalls and twenty Upper Circle which is where we ended up. To say that to stand for over three hours was going to be tough work was a bit of an understatement.

This is the view that we had:

Actually, it wasn’t too bad in the end. Yes it was a bit uncomfortable to be standing for the whole play (shoes came off within about ten minutes of the play starting) and yes the people in the back row of the upper circle could get in the way but there is actually a freedom to be standing. It was kind of cool.

As for the play itself – let me just say that I was sooooo glad that I read a cliff note’s version of Hamlet to refresh myself on the story. The language of Shakespeare is not exactly something I read or listen to everyday and so takes absolute concentration on my part to keep up. I did find myself drifting off now and then during the play but luckily it didn’t interrupt the feel or flow of the play at all. It was a very good production but mostly I was impressed with Jude Law. He was absolutely amazing. I think it was because he absolutely threw himself into the role – physically and emotionally. As a result he kind of outshone the other actors but I forgive him that. 🙂

Utterly charmed.