Hamlet (2009)

A long production of a long play, but David Tennant is refreshingly *alive* as Hamlet. I've seen Shakespeare's lines droned, intoned, solemnly recited, or campy and over-the-top, but Tennant is wonderful in this role. The rest of the cast is adequate - Patrick Stewart is an acceptably treacherous Claudius, and Penny Downie is a wonderful Gertrude. Mariah Gale as Ophelia is by far the weakest of the actors, but she really has very little to do with the play, and it's well worth the watch to see Tennant's take on a very old character. Nicely done. 3 1/2 stars.