Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead

Shakespeare's Hamlet meets Beckett's Waiting For Godot in Simon Phillip's production of Tom Stoppard's tragicomedy Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead. Stage and screen actor Toby Schmitz plays the tormented Guildenstern, spouting lengthy tongue-twisting discourse as he stalks the stage in a perpetual existential funk, while singer-songwriter and comedian Tim Minchin is endearing as his requisite simpleminded counterpart, Rosencrantz. Both characters oscillate between philosophical musing and witty ripostes while striking comic poses in Gabriela Tylesova's detailed leather costumes. With such an experienced cast there are a number of impressive supporting roles. Ewen Leslie in particular is fantastic as The Player, while Heather Mitchell and John Gaden enthusiastically embrace the roles of Gertrude and Polonius respectively. The fast and often confusing dialogue will leave you in awe, especially of Schmitz and Leslie's masterful deliveries and exceptional comedic timing. Noteworthy too is the imposing set design: vertigo inducing platform mechanics allow the stage to be raised to a sharp angle to form the bow of a ship, while bulky archways on either side of the stage provide entry and exit most frequently for the band of players. The exploits of one of the players, Alfred (George Kemp, in his debut performance for STC) successfully captures both amusement and sympathy throughout the show.