In Sarah Bernhardt’s own words, “the roles of men are in general more intellectual than the roles of women… Only the role of Phédre gives me the charm of digging into a heart that is truly anguished… Always, in the theater, the parts played by the men are the best parts. And yet theater is the sole art where women can sometimes be superior to men.” The new play Bernhardt/Hamlet takes us backstage as Ms. Bernhardt prepares to take on Hamlet in the year 1899. The great actress Janet McTeer (A Doll’s House, Mary Stuart) grabs hold of her portrayal of the legendarily great actress and a very compelling story soars.
Hamlet was one of Ms. Bernhardt’s famous stage triumphs. In this play, she wrestles with how to grasp the character and the meanings of Shakespeare’s lines. Current lover and playwright Edmond Rostand (an excellent Jason Butler Harner) is convinced to write a prose version to replace the bard’s poetry. This famed actress rehearses and rehearses scenes from Hamlet and the audience is treated to an insight into the creative process. When Ms. McTeer and Dylan Baker perform a classic scene between Hamlet and his father’s ghost, the magical spark of theater is realized for them – and for us. This play and, most importantly, these performances illuminate the often rocky terrain required to reach creative peaks.
That theme and the presence of Ms. McTeer is satisfying enough. The great news about Bernhardt/Hamlet is that the play offers so much more than that to ponder. It’s loosely a biography of this famous actress, from her lover(s) to her illegitimate son. The famed Art Nouveau graphic artist Alfons Mucha created her poster for Hamlet (which I just saw at the his namesake museum in Prague last month). He agonizes how to capture the essence of what Bernhardt is doing. Not everyone is convinced her taking on Hamlet is a good idea (nor the scandal of a rewrite). At a café Rostand says to his companion, “you’ve made up your mind before you’ve even seen it.” The reply: “After all I am a theater critic.”
The creative risks taken by Ms. Bernhardt in shattering centuries of tradition to challenge herself to grab hold of one of the most important roles in the theatrical canon is pure drama itself. Adding in her theatrical orbit, the supporters and dissenters, helps to paint a rich tapestry of the type of drive and desire required to unearth cultural milestones. Ms. McTeer guides us through Bernhardt’s witty, egocentric, flamboyant, nervy, confident, mystified, uncertain and nervous persona. While she does make a convincing feminist statement, the personal statement felt even bigger from my vantage point.
Moritz von Stuelpnagel (Hand to God) directed Bernhardt/Hamlet and the many laughs are perfectly executed. The dressing room scene in Act II is one of my favorites of the year. He has assembled an extraordinary team from the fine acting ensemble to the designers of the set, costumes and lighting. As is fitting though, Sarah Bernhardt still manages to stand above all that, alone and iconic. And Theresa Rebeck has created a marvelous vehicle to celebrate women, creativity, theater and risk taking worthy of its grand subject.