9/10
Jacobi remains the most vulnerable, endearing, tormented, tragic Hamlet ever. Unfortunately production quality is old and a bit dusty but a must see regardless.
7 February 2022
One of the better BBC Television Shakespeare adaptations, and actually one of the best versions of the great play full stop. Derek Jacobi remains my favourite Hamlet. Though he was fairly old at the time of making this, he is completely believable as the young Prince and portrays the full range of angst and torment and existential doom required for a complete performance of Hamlet. Some Prince Hamlet's can come across as petulant and annoying but Jacobi invokes so much pathos and is willing to make himself so vulnerable that you are fully invested in him and feel the tragedy of the conclusion in its totality. The pacing is quite slow and it isn't the most watchable version thanks to 40 year old low budget TV production quality, but Jacobi's performance renders it all forgivable. Other good performances include Patrick Stewart as Claudius.
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