Evelin Bariz: Stage Adaptation and the Theatre as a Medium: The Impact of Filmed Performances on Audience Reception and Experience in the Case of Gregory Doran’s and Lyndsey Turner’s Hamlet Adaptations

Article

DOI 10.51313/Freeside-2024-02

During the Covid-19 pandemic, humanity had to deal not only with the life-threatening dangers of the disease, but also with the changes it brought to everyday life: lockdowns took place almost everywhere, dramatically affecting the world of work, business, commerce, and even entertainment. Theatres were among the first to be affected by the pandemic, and to mitigate the negative effects of the lockdown, online platforms were set up, allowing people to buy “tickets” to see filmed versions of stage productions. However, the use of a wide range of medium, including the recording of a performance, was not triggered by Covid-19. Several plays had already been adapted for film or used as the basis for various series before the outbreak of the pandemic. In addition, the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain had already launched the National Theatre Live which broadcasts various UK theatre productions live to many cinemas around the world. Such initiatives, online platforms and the increasing number of various mediums give a wider audience access to theatrical productions but watching filmed versions of stage adaptations may manipulate the audience’s perception more than seeing traditional theatre performances or reading the written text of the original play. The present paper seeks to examine how recordings of stage productions affect audience reception and experience, using two contemporary stage adaptations of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet as examples: Gregory Doran’s 2009 version for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Lyndsey Turner’s 2015 version for the Barbican Theatre.