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Regarding this movie, Roger Ebert, from the Chicago Sun-Times, said that "at the end of this ``Hamlet,'' I felt at last as if I was getting a handle on the play". He accredits this to Branagh's skill in enriching the roles of characters beyond Hamlet; his ability to stage familiar scenes in new ways, his portrayal of Hamlet as an active participant in royal politics which makes "him less a subject for pity"; and his inclusion of scenes that are often left out in movie productions. One of the ways he enriches the roles of other characters is seen in his depiction of Claudius, played by Derek Jacobi. As Ebert notes, "in shorter versions, he is the scowling usurper who functions only as villain. Here, with lines and scenes restored, he seems more balanced and powerful". This rendition seems more like Shakespeare's productions would have been because the complexity of the characters is honored. Additionally, this version shows the importance of the play within the play that many other versions leave out. Here, "we listen to the actual lines of his play (which shorter versions often relegate to dumb-show at the back of the stage). We see how ingeniously and cleverly they tweak the conscience of the king, and we see Claudius' pained reactions". Branagh's gives credit to the intricacies of plot, like the play, the intricacies of character in his version of "Hamlet".

A discussion of the variability of how Hamlet can be played, focusing on several recent (ie 2002) productions in New York City. I figure this article could be used if one were wanting to compare and contrast ultra-modern stagings of Hamlet with others from the past.

See productions at the Globe theatre in London all over the globe

"By ANTHONY TOMMASINI. Published: March 17, 2010. The Metropolitan Opera under general manager Peter Gelb is defining itself through the choice and quality, however debatable, of its ambitious new productions. Yet bringing successful existing productions of overlooked works to the Met is just as important to the company's artistic mission, not to mention a safer bet. And few operas have been as overlooked as Ambroise Thomas's 'Hamlet'."