Hamletmachine
Encyclopedia
Hamletmachine is a postmodernist
drama by German playwright and theatre director Heiner Müller
. Written in 1977, the play is loosely based on Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
. The play originated in relation to a translation of Shakespeare's Hamlet that Müller undertook. Some critics claim the play problematizes the role of intellectuals during the East German Communism
area, others argue that the play should be understood in relation to wider post-modern concepts. Characteristic of the play is that it is not centred on a conventional plot, but partially connects through sequences of monologues, where the protagonist leaves his role and reflects on being an actor.
and the ecology movement
.
The play remains Müller's most-often performed and (arguably) his best-known today; Müller himself directed a seven-and-a-half hour performance of Hamlet (in which Die Hamletmaschine was the play-within-a-play) in Berlin in 1990.
, including music by Einstürzende Neubauten
, that was later released as a compact disc
. Blixa Bargeld
played the part of Prince Hamlet
and Gudrun Gut
played Ophelia. It had its American premiere in Tampa, Florida
with the Freiese Theatre of Munchen in 1984, and was subsequently revived by Robert Wilson
at New York University
in 1986.
The play has been set to music by composer Georges Aperghis
, as Die Hamletmaschine-Oratorio, and also by Wolfgang Rihm
. Ruth Zechlin
wrote "Szenische Kammermusik nach Heiner Müllers “Hamletmaschine”" for five instruments in 1991.
In 2007 it was performed in the Samuel Beckett Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Paul Carton directed an ensemble cast to the delight of audiences and critics alike.
In 2010, Agustin Calderon, a filmmaker from Barcelona
, Spain, made the first cinema adaptation of Hamletmachine. The trailer can be seen on YouTube.
In 2010, Wang Chong directed the first production of Hamletmachine in China. References to the Chinese and North Korea
n political situations caused controversy. However, the show has toured Beijing
and Hangzhou
without getting banned. The show was performed by four Chinese opera actors and one child. Critics called it "deconstructed Chinese opera" and "the most exciting work at the Beijing International Youth Theatre Festival."
Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
drama by German playwright and theatre director Heiner Müller
Heiner Müller
Heiner Müller was a German dramatist, poet, writer, essayist and theatre director. Described as "the theatre's greatest living poet" since Samuel Beckett, Müller is arguably the most important German dramatist of the 20th century after Bertolt Brecht...
. Written in 1977, the play is loosely based on Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. The play originated in relation to a translation of Shakespeare's Hamlet that Müller undertook. Some critics claim the play problematizes the role of intellectuals during the East German Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
area, others argue that the play should be understood in relation to wider post-modern concepts. Characteristic of the play is that it is not centred on a conventional plot, but partially connects through sequences of monologues, where the protagonist leaves his role and reflects on being an actor.
Overview
The play constituted of scenes. The whole text is roughly nine pages long. The script itself is extremely dense and open to interpretation; recurring themes include feminismFeminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
and the ecology movement
Ecology movement
The global ecology movement is based upon environmental protection, and is one of several new social movements that emerged at the end of the 1960s. As a values-driven social movement, it should be distinguished from the pre-existing science of ecology....
.
The play remains Müller's most-often performed and (arguably) his best-known today; Müller himself directed a seven-and-a-half hour performance of Hamlet (in which Die Hamletmaschine was the play-within-a-play) in Berlin in 1990.
Performance history
The play has been performed as a radio dramaRadio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
, including music by Einstürzende Neubauten
Einstürzende Neubauten
Einstürzende Neubauten is a German post-industrial band, originally from West Berlin, formed in 1980. The group currently comprises Blixa Bargeld , Alexander Hacke , N.U...
, that was later released as a compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
. Blixa Bargeld
Blixa Bargeld
Blixa Bargeld is a composer, author, actor, singer, musician, performer and lecturer in a number of artistic fields...
played the part of Prince Hamlet
Prince Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is a fictional character, the protagonist in Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew to the usurping Claudius and son of the previous King of Denmark, Old Hamlet. Throughout the play he struggles with whether, and how, to avenge the murder of his father, and...
and Gudrun Gut
Gudrun Gut
Gudrun Gut is an electronic musical artist from Germany.She grew up on the Lüneburger Heide and moved to Berlin in 1975, where she studied visual arts at the Hochschule der Künste from 1978 to 1984. She was an early member of experimental act Einstürzende Neubauten and a founding member of Mania...
played Ophelia. It had its American premiere in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
with the Freiese Theatre of Munchen in 1984, and was subsequently revived by Robert Wilson
Robert Wilson (director)
Robert Wilson is an American avant-garde stage director and playwright who has been called "[America]'s — or even the world's — foremost vanguard 'theater artist'". Over the course of his wide-ranging career, he has also worked as a choreographer, performer, painter, sculptor, video...
at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1986.
The play has been set to music by composer Georges Aperghis
Georges Aperghis
Georges Aperghis is a Greek composer working primarily in the field of experimental music theater but has also composed a large amount of non-programmatic chamber music...
, as Die Hamletmaschine-Oratorio, and also by Wolfgang Rihm
Wolfgang Rihm
Wolfgang Rihm is a German composer.Rihm is Head of the Institute of Modern Music at the Karlsruhe Conservatory of Music and has been composer in residence at the Lucerne Festival and the Salzburg Festival...
. Ruth Zechlin
Ruth Zechlin
Ruth Zechlin née Oschatz was a German composer.-Life:Ruth Zechlin was born Ruth Oschatz in Grosshartmannsdorf, Germany. She began piano lessons at five years old, and wrote her first composition at the age of seven...
wrote "Szenische Kammermusik nach Heiner Müllers “Hamletmaschine”" for five instruments in 1991.
In 2007 it was performed in the Samuel Beckett Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Paul Carton directed an ensemble cast to the delight of audiences and critics alike.
In 2010, Agustin Calderon, a filmmaker from Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain, made the first cinema adaptation of Hamletmachine. The trailer can be seen on YouTube.
In 2010, Wang Chong directed the first production of Hamletmachine in China. References to the Chinese and North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n political situations caused controversy. However, the show has toured Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
without getting banned. The show was performed by four Chinese opera actors and one child. Critics called it "deconstructed Chinese opera" and "the most exciting work at the Beijing International Youth Theatre Festival."