Ofelia vs Hamlet

Ofelia vs Hamlet

based on Stanisław Wyspiański's “Study on Hamlet” and “The Death of Ophelia”

Written and directed by: Rafał Matusz

Ophelia: Krzysztof Gomółka-Pawlicka

Hamlet: Jack Panek

light, musical setting, costumes: Marzena Chojnowska

Hamlet and Ophelia share complicated feelings. Nothing is obvious in their love. Ophelia, rejected by her lover and emotionally driven to the extreme, is already standing in the water and is about to drown. However, she hesitates, considers all the “for” and “against”, perceives what her relationship really was. She argues with Hamlet and the entire court world, seeing how she has been manipulated and reduced to the object of male pageantry.

Ophelia vs Hamlet is a show that shows that the struggle of the sexes and the fight for equality will always rule our world. This conflict is unsolvable, but paradoxically it gives meaning to the existence of man, keeps him in action and tension. No matter who wins, the roles will change in a moment. Everything is the same — so sometimes we have Ophelia and Hamlet on stage, sometimes two Hamlets, sometimes two Opheles. The duel continues, only changes form.

Stanisław Wyspiański, followed by Rafał Matusz, the director of the play, proposes a new version of the reading of Shakespeare's play. Based on the two classic texts by the author of The Wedding: The Death of Ophelia and The Study of Hamlet, the story is about the interpenetration — but also the conflict — of the worlds of women and men.

A show for viewers from the age of 16, there are scenes of violence and strobe effects.

The play took part in the 10th Competition for the Staging of Old Works of Polish and European Literature “Living Classics” (more about the project.Click!)