Hamlet

It wouldn't be Shakespeare without some poisoning, tragic unrequited love, insanity and cheek. There's plenty of cheek, especially butt cheek, in this modernisation of Hamlet by Bell Shakespeare.

Hamlet is, of course, the story of that Danish prince who loses his father and finds himself in a country on the brink of war. Haunted by his father's ghost, loved by Ophelia, grappling with the fact that his uncle poisoned his father and swiftly married his mother, Hamlet must try to reconcile family and peace with the desire for revenge.

Directed by Damien Ryan, the cast has had their violence and raw energy well and truly extricated. There's also a sprinkling of modernisms, like group shots with iPhones, some Aussie slang here and there and an added larrikin edge for Hamlet, which keeps you on your toes.

As played by Josh McConville, Hamlet is convincingly tormented by grief and hysteria. The role is overtly physical, seeing McConville climb all over the set, yell, scream, strangle, kill with little remorse, make overtly crude and sexual jokes and expose himself. It's all accomplished with conviction and purpose. He's all at once the most honest and cruel character as he tries to seduce his uncle Claudius, played by Sean O'Shea, to admit his guilt.

Equally potent is Ophelia's spiral into heartbroken misery, played stunningly by Matilda Ridgway, which sees her becoming completely despondent to the real world.