GEORGE DILLON'S HAMLET

REVIEWS

GEORGE DILLON'S HAMLET

Assembly Rms (venue 3), 54 George St (0131 226 2428) 3.50pm; to 2 Sept (not 21 Aug)

A radical new interpretation focusing on thespian egomania, a simple, heart-rending tale of a Danish Prince turned hollow star-vehicle. Leering, drawling and bellowing his way through the central role, Dillon does his usual Berkoff sub-impression with a couple of proteges to fill up the supporting roles. The breakneck pace and the "physical theatre" clutter fail to conceal a complete absence of worthwhile ideas and Hamlet himself is unrecognizable under the accreted layers of smugness and conceit. To round everything off, Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" blares out after the carnage of the final scene. A veritable load of rubbish.

John O'Mahony