Hamlet
at Fountain Valley

Reviewed on December 1, 2016

Micah Weightman
Brethren Christian
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Fountain Valley's 'Hamlet' intrigues and captivates
written by Micah Weightman, a junior at Brethren Christian High School

With grave sincerity, Fountain Valley High School performs Shakespeare's classic masterpiece, 'Hamlet', arguably the most famous play in history. Revolving around themes of time, maddening desires for revenge, and the meaning of existence, the vastly well-known story focuses on Hamlet, a prince who is driven to the brink of insanity as he plans to murder his uncle, whom he knows to be his father's murderer. Along the way, Hamlet deeply considers the meaning of life and death.

The iconic role of Hamlet is played by Mackenzie Kohanek, who is able to meet the understandably high standards of iconic monologues such as "To Be or Not To Be" and Hamlet's thoughts on the skull of Yorick in the graveyard. Kohanek speaks with excellent rhythm and enunciation, adding to the memorable soliloquies. Sprawling on the stage in certain scenes, she brings animation to the character of Hamlet.

Claudius (Alyssa Kammerer), the new king and murderer of Hamlet's father, is played with convincing expressions and well-timed reactions and movements. Kammerer makes her character's guilt realistic and evident as the murderer realizes that his crime of killing his brother has been discovered.

Kaella Cummings captures the role of the innocent and delightful Ophelia, displaying her playful nature. However, as the plot develops and takes dark turns, Ophelia is driven mad with sorrow over the accidental death of her father, Polonius (Maddie Arne). As Cummings sings about flowers, now fully consumed by her tragic insanity, Cummings' sobs are truly heartbreaking and she becomes the highlight of her scenes.

The set, designed by Micah Nehrbass and Devin Nguyen, is simple but beautiful. Parts of the stage include the use of circles, representing life and time's eternity. Designed without a specific time period in mind, the set allows the viewers to decide when the story is taking place, emphasizing the play's timelessness.

The same elegant simplicity is seen in the costumes, designed by Amy Phan and Zoë Rios. The characters appear as if they could fit into a wide range of eras, allowing the imagination to take over. The costumes, worn by a mostly female cast, are able to give convincing appearances of men.

The heartfelt performances and unique concepts of the set and costumes compliment each other beautifully, making this a truly memorable production.

Micah Weightman
Brethren Christian
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Fountain Valley's 'Hamlet' intrigues and captivates
written by Micah Weightman, a junior at Brethren Christian High School

With grave sincerity, Fountain Valley High School performs Shakespeare's classic masterpiece, 'Hamlet', arguably the most famous play in history. Revolving around themes of time, maddening desires for revenge, and the meaning of existence, the vastly well-known story focuses on Hamlet, a prince who is driven to the brink of insanity as he plans to murder his uncle, whom he knows to be his father's murderer. Along the way, Hamlet deeply considers the meaning of life and death.

The iconic role of Hamlet is played by Mackenzie Kohanek, who is able to meet the understandably high standards of iconic monologues such as "To Be or Not To Be" and Hamlet's thoughts on the skull of Yorick in the graveyard. Kohanek speaks with excellent rhythm and enunciation, adding to the memorable soliloquies. Sprawling on the stage in certain scenes, she brings animation to the character of Hamlet.

Claudius (Alyssa Kammerer), the new king and murderer of Hamlet's father, is played with convincing expressions and well-timed reactions and movements. Kammerer makes her character's guilt realistic and evident as the murderer realizes that his crime of killing his brother has been discovered.

Kaella Cummings captures the role of the innocent and delightful Ophelia, displaying her playful nature. However, as the plot develops and takes dark turns, Ophelia is driven mad with sorrow over the accidental death of her father, Polonius (Maddie Arne). As Cummings sings about flowers, now fully consumed by her tragic insanity, Cummings' sobs are truly heartbreaking and she becomes the highlight of her scenes.

The set, designed by Micah Nehrbass and Devin Nguyen, is simple but beautiful. Parts of the stage include the use of circles, representing life and time's eternity. Designed without a specific time period in mind, the set allows the viewers to decide when the story is taking place, emphasizing the play's timelessness.

The same elegant simplicity is seen in the costumes, designed by Amy Phan and Zoë Rios. The characters appear as if they could fit into a wide range of eras, allowing the imagination to take over. The costumes, worn by a mostly female cast, are able to give convincing appearances of men.

The heartfelt performances and unique concepts of the set and costumes compliment each other beautifully, making this a truly memorable production.

Gabby Romero
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Fountain Valley performs a timeless ‘Hamlet'
written by Gabby Romero, a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School

By integrating the concept of time into its production of ‘Hamlet', Fountain Valley High School honors the timeless nature of Shakespeare's iconic tragedy.

Hamlet, played by Mackenzie Kohanek, emotionally struggles with his own sanity while avenging the murder of his father. Kohanek intensely strides across the stage and passionately reveals the grief and anger in Hamlet through her strong, articulate voice. Her moving performance emphasizes the relatable nature of the title character's internal strife.

Alyssa Kammerer as Claudius brilliantly exposes the character's malicious pursuit of power as well as his guilt. When addressing the subjects of Elsinore, Kammerer exudes confidence with her tall posture and composed smile. However, behind closed doors, she wrings her hands anxiously and speaks with a wavering voice as Claudius questions the morality of his decisions.

Kaella Cummings provides a uniquely playful twist on the character of Ophelia. Her snarky quips towards her brother and father and her coy, flirtatious glances at Hamlet reveal an unexpected layer to the iconic character. Cummings' fierce stage presence at the beginning of the show makes Ophelia's mental breakdown even more compelling, offering a multifaceted performance unlike any other.

Michael Frankeny hilariously portrays a gravedigger preparing a burial site, offering an entertaining and lighthearted pause from the otherwise intense play. As he nonchalantly tosses human remains over his shoulder and takes a swig from his flask, Frankeny seamlessly adapts Shakespeare's humor for a modern audience.

The set design, led by Anh Tran and David Miller, creates an interesting setting that can be used for a variety of scenes. The grayscale wooden slats evoke images of castle walls, while the use of circular platforms at alternating heights highlight the power relationships between characters as well as establish a unique stage composition.

The costumes, designed by Amy Phan and Zoe Rios, accurately reflect the personalities of each character. Members of the royal family are dressed in costumes accented with gold to highlight their nobility, while Ophelia's pure white outfit and flower crown mirror her innocence.

Fountain Valley High School's production of ‘Hamlet' combines a committed cast with impressive technical design to celebrate the immortal message of Shakespeare's classic tale of revenge.

Gabby Romero
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Fountain Valley performs a timeless ‘Hamlet'
written by Gabby Romero, a senior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School

By integrating the concept of time into its production of ‘Hamlet', Fountain Valley High School honors the timeless nature of Shakespeare's iconic tragedy.

Hamlet, played by Mackenzie Kohanek, emotionally struggles with his own sanity while avenging the murder of his father. Kohanek intensely strides across the stage and passionately reveals the grief and anger in Hamlet through her strong, articulate voice. Her moving performance emphasizes the relatable nature of the title character's internal strife.

Alyssa Kammerer as Claudius brilliantly exposes the character's malicious pursuit of power as well as his guilt. When addressing the subjects of Elsinore, Kammerer exudes confidence with her tall posture and composed smile. However, behind closed doors, she wrings her hands anxiously and speaks with a wavering voice as Claudius questions the morality of his decisions.

Kaella Cummings provides a uniquely playful twist on the character of Ophelia. Her snarky quips towards her brother and father and her coy, flirtatious glances at Hamlet reveal an unexpected layer to the iconic character. Cummings' fierce stage presence at the beginning of the show makes Ophelia's mental breakdown even more compelling, offering a multifaceted performance unlike any other.

Michael Frankeny hilariously portrays a gravedigger preparing a burial site, offering an entertaining and lighthearted pause from the otherwise intense play. As he nonchalantly tosses human remains over his shoulder and takes a swig from his flask, Frankeny seamlessly adapts Shakespeare's humor for a modern audience.

The set design, led by Anh Tran and David Miller, creates an interesting setting that can be used for a variety of scenes. The grayscale wooden slats evoke images of castle walls, while the use of circular platforms at alternating heights highlight the power relationships between characters as well as establish a unique stage composition.

The costumes, designed by Amy Phan and Zoe Rios, accurately reflect the personalities of each character. Members of the royal family are dressed in costumes accented with gold to highlight their nobility, while Ophelia's pure white outfit and flower crown mirror her innocence.

Fountain Valley High School's production of ‘Hamlet' combines a committed cast with impressive technical design to celebrate the immortal message of Shakespeare's classic tale of revenge.

Chloe Grubb
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

Fountain Valley's Timeless 'Hamlet'
written by Chloe Grubb, a sophmore at Santa Margarita Catholic High School

With thrilling sword fights, vengeful family members, and betrayals, Fountain Valley's classic portrayal of ‘Hamlet' is sure to excite. True to Shakespeare's original storyline, ‘Hamlet' follows the story of a prince who seeks vengeance for his father's death in revealing the regicide committed by the new king.

Mackenzie Kohanek as Hamlet exudes confidence and dominance as she marches across the stage, confronting Claudius. Her deliberate "in-the-face" confrontational movements indicate Hamlet's passion in avenging his father. These movements in combination with the excellent articulation and volume in enunciating Shakespeare's iambic pentameter, revitalizes the timeless nature of the play.

Madison Arne as Polonius demonstrates a collected nature in acting as this wise patriarch. From stroking the hair of his pained daughter to walking in a faltering limp toward Hamlet to speak to him about Ophelia, Arne embodies a reposed father archetype, and brings the sense of equilibrium and levelheadedness needed during the catastrophic events unfolding within this kingdom.

Michael Frankeny as Clown 1 is a talented comedian in his playful execution, and conscious timing. Connecting adolescents with the humor of Shakespeare may seem a daunting task, considering the barrier between modern langauge and the language developed in the times of Shakespeare. However, cognizant of his audience, Frankeny delivers his lines lightheartedly as he peacefully ignores the all-important Hamlet while casually throwing the bones of important departed people to random sections of the stage.

Using various styles and eras of fashion, the costume design of Amy Phan and Zoë Rios excellently executes Fountain Valley's theme of "timeless". These different styles allow the audience to choose which period they believe the play should take place and become well-incorporated within the storyline. Although the costumes are from different times, the colors of these costumes invoke ideas about the characters. For example, in Queen Gertrude, the golden lace on her dress indicates her regality while the black portion reveals her subtle mourning. Similarly, the red of Claudius's cape radiates dominance and nobility.

The scenic design by Ahn Tran and David Miller also work to successfully exhibit the timeless theme by using circle-shaped platforms to reference clocks and the never-ending movement of time. The staging is minimalistic in nature and uses shades of grey and browns to further the chosen ambiguity in time.

Fountain Valley's ‘Hamlet' illustrates the timeless nature of the work in its unforgettable characters and captivating storyline.

Chloe Grubb
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

Fountain Valley's Timeless 'Hamlet'
written by Chloe Grubb, a sophmore at Santa Margarita Catholic High School

With thrilling sword fights, vengeful family members, and betrayals, Fountain Valley's classic portrayal of ‘Hamlet' is sure to excite. True to Shakespeare's original storyline, ‘Hamlet' follows the story of a prince who seeks vengeance for his father's death in revealing the regicide committed by the new king.

Mackenzie Kohanek as Hamlet exudes confidence and dominance as she marches across the stage, confronting Claudius. Her deliberate "in-the-face" confrontational movements indicate Hamlet's passion in avenging his father. These movements in combination with the excellent articulation and volume in enunciating Shakespeare's iambic pentameter, revitalizes the timeless nature of the play.

Madison Arne as Polonius demonstrates a collected nature in acting as this wise patriarch. From stroking the hair of his pained daughter to walking in a faltering limp toward Hamlet to speak to him about Ophelia, Arne embodies a reposed father archetype, and brings the sense of equilibrium and levelheadedness needed during the catastrophic events unfolding within this kingdom.

Michael Frankeny as Clown 1 is a talented comedian in his playful execution, and conscious timing. Connecting adolescents with the humor of Shakespeare may seem a daunting task, considering the barrier between modern langauge and the language developed in the times of Shakespeare. However, cognizant of his audience, Frankeny delivers his lines lightheartedly as he peacefully ignores the all-important Hamlet while casually throwing the bones of important departed people to random sections of the stage.

Using various styles and eras of fashion, the costume design of Amy Phan and Zoë Rios excellently executes Fountain Valley's theme of "timeless". These different styles allow the audience to choose which period they believe the play should take place and become well-incorporated within the storyline. Although the costumes are from different times, the colors of these costumes invoke ideas about the characters. For example, in Queen Gertrude, the golden lace on her dress indicates her regality while the black portion reveals her subtle mourning. Similarly, the red of Claudius's cape radiates dominance and nobility.

The scenic design by Ahn Tran and David Miller also work to successfully exhibit the timeless theme by using circle-shaped platforms to reference clocks and the never-ending movement of time. The staging is minimalistic in nature and uses shades of grey and browns to further the chosen ambiguity in time.

Fountain Valley's ‘Hamlet' illustrates the timeless nature of the work in its unforgettable characters and captivating storyline.