About Hamlet's Clouds

In 1596, Hamnet, the only son of William Shakespeare, dies at the age of eleven. Five years later Shakespeare loses his father and during the period of mourning writes The Tragic Story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. In the irregular spelling of the time, "Hamnet" and "Hamlet" are practically interchangeable. Many scholars have written long books on the relationship between Hamnet and Hamlet.

The play tells of the Danish King Hamlet, who bears the same name as his son, poisoned by his brother Claudius and his wife Gertrude who are lovers. Their passion is intertwined with another tragic love story between Prince Hamlet and the young Ophelia.

The ghost of Hamlet's father appears to his son, giving him the task of killing and avenging him. What does this story tell us today? What inheritance have we received from our fathers that we will pass on to our children?

Credits

Text/Dramaturgy/Director: Eugenio Barba

Cast: Antonia Cioaza, Else Marie Laukvik, Jakob Nielsen, Rina Skeel, Ulrik Skeel, Julia Varley

Lighting Design/Video: Stefano Di Buduo

Film Adviser: Claudio Coloberti

Costumes: Odin Teatret

Scenic Space: Odin Teatret

Technical Director: Knud Erik Knudsen

Director's Assistants: Gregorio Amicuzi, Julia Varley

About Eugenio Barba

Eugenio Barba (1936, Italy), after working with Jerzy Grotowski for three years in Poland, created Odin Teatret in 1964 in Oslo and moved with it to Holstebro, Denmark, in 1966. He has directed 87 productions, some of which have required up to two years of preparation. He founded the International School of Theatre Anthropology (ISTA) in 1979. He has received thirteen honorary doctorates from Universities such as Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Edinburg and Bologna. Has published 27 books, and some of them are translated into Chinese, such as The Paper Canoe: A Guide to Theatre Anthropology; Burning the House: On Dramaturgy and Directing and, in collaboration with Nicola Savarese, A Dictionary of Theatre Anthropology. In 2020, together with Julia Varley, he established Fondazione Barba Varley whose aim is to support theatre people who are disadvantaged by gender, ethnicity, and geography.

About Odin Teatret

Odin Teatret was created in Oslo, Norway, in 1964, and moved to Holstebro, Denmark in 1966, changing its name to Nordisk Teaterlaboratorium/Odin Teatret. In December 2022 Odin Teatret and Eugenio Barba left Nordisk Teaterlaboratorium to continue its activities independently in Denmark and abroad. Odin Teatret's activities include Odin's own productions presented on site and on tour in Denmark and abroad; teaching in Denmark and abroad; publication of magazines and books; production of didactic films and videos. Odin Teatret has so far created 86 performances, performed in 67 countries and different social contexts. In 2024, Odin Teatret is celebrating its 60th anniversary with tours and activities in Mexico, Italy, Norway, Romania, Denmark, Greece, Brazil and at Wuzhen Theatre Festival.