Jaime Cruz Photo courtesy of Teatro La Plaza

That collaboration offers moving and original rumination on issues like the power every person is (or should be) born to: the power of self determination, to demand a place in everyday spaces, to not be undermined at every turn by the fears and low expectations of others. Equally powerful are the show's reflections on desire, death, suffering, conflict and joy, particularly through the lens of Ophelia's relationships.

The determination that Polonius evinces to control her is given new force as we see the parent-child struggle through the lens of disability and its associated generation concerns. And the romance between Ophelia and Hamlet, which is depicted here with sweetness and desire without neglecting or softening Hamlet's casual cruelty, heightens the universal stakes we all experience as we tie ourselves in knots wondering how the object of our desire perceives and feels about us. In what is the most remarkable and groundbreaking of these scenes, the women of the cast bring to life different possible incarnations of the character as a thriving independent artist, a mother of eight, including a son with Down syndrome, and a young woman who is just set to meet in person for the first time the boyfriend she has connected with through an online anime fandom group.

As the preceding description implies, the show is anything but a straightforward retelling of Hamlet. Late in the show, one of the actors explains that in the performances, every member of the cast, at one point or another, takes a turn at playing the Melancholy Dane, handing off (or occasionally demanding) a plastic crown to mark the transition. And they look to one another and to the great performances of the role for advice and inspiration, to both hilarious (there is an absolutely side-splitting scene that involves Olivier) and moving effect.

The show blends these two elements, humor and serious, vulnerable exploration of dark and troubling things, beautifully. At one point, they borrow the Rude Mechanicals vibe from Midsummer, inviting four audience members to the stage to play the moon, a pair of trees, and the poisoner during the play-within-a-play, then stop the scene to provide the neurotypicals with direction on how to sell it as they would. And at the other end of the spectrum is one actor stridently rejecting another's intention to model his "To be or not to be" after other performances, which ends with a remarkable interpretation of the famous soliloquy and a tender bonding moment for the cast.

There's little in the way of a set for the production, yet the staging is visually quite interesting (Lucho Soldevilla is credited with visuals and Dennis Hilario as video technician). The upstage wall serves as a projection screen for a small amount of pre-recorded material (e.g., the appearance of the ghost and a speech by Claudius), as well as real-time images captured by cameras above and around the set. The lighting (design by Jesús Reyes, direction by Marvin Calle) shifts easily from the more straightforward scene from the play to the meta-scenes that explain or comment on the production, and the sound design (Jhosimar Sullon is credited as both designer and technician) blends music into the production in an essential way.

The cast all turn in strong and memorable performances. Diana Gutiérrez has an exceptional, quiet power in her portrayal of Gertrude, and it is gratifying to see her unfold when her turn comes to wield Hamlet's sword. Ximena Rodríguez is an excellent counterpoint in her performances as an Ophelia who is, yes, wounded and worn down by the world, but who also has a fierce, joyful determination to live until she no longer can.

Manuel García is an effectively ferocious Polonius. His choice not to play the character as a doddering, easily manipulated fool infuses his fatherly bad advice with something real and sinister. Octavio Bernaza and Jaime Cruz are excellent and very different Hamlets. The production's choice to continually "pass the crown" results in a new and extremely interesting take on the Prince's madness. The performances of these two actors interweave in most interesting ways.

Cristina León Barandiarán often serves as the narrator as well as the actor who breaks the fourth wall to offer insights into the production's developments. Her work as the "interviewer" of "Jaimlet" (Cruz's version of the character, which he insists is a fusion of himself and Shakespeare's creation) is critical in setting the tone, and she accomplishes this with skill and aplomb.

Álvaro Toledo works particularly beautifully with Cruz in arriving at the production's version of "To be or not to be," and Lucas DeMarchi is perhaps the best argument for the way musical performance and dance are incorporated into the production.

Hamlet runs through March 23, 2025, at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, Upstairs Studio, 800 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago IL. For tickets and information, please visit chicagoshakes.com or call 312-595-5600.