HAMLET
Sadler’s Wells
★★★★
“a compelling dance piece: erratic and tragic; beautiful and brutal”
For the late dancer and choreographer, Dada Masilo, dance was a calling rather than a profession. Her obituary in The Guardian reflects on how she would fuse contemporary ballet with her South African culture to provoke audiences as much as entertain. Her work was always vital, dealing with issues of power, greed, domestic violence, rape, misogyny, homophobia, vengeance, grief. Renowned for reinterpreting classics, her final production – a reimagination of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” that places Ophelia centre stage – premiered in Vienna in 2024 just before she died unexpectedly after a short illness, aged just thirty-nine. Her company (The Dance Factory) has continued to tour and preserve the piece as her final artistic statement.
As much as it focuses on Ophelia, Masilo’s “Hamlet” is surprisingly faithful to the overall original narrative. All the key elements are present and, although none overpower, Ophelia’s own viewpoint is just part of the mix rather than the thrust. Her descent into madness and ultimate tragic death is a highlight rather than the essence. Yet the portrayal, through movement and the brilliantly choregraphed sequences, is quite stunning. Lehlohonolo Madise gives a fearless performance, with a physical and mental candour that is staggering in its suppleness and honesty. As she winds down towards her watery grave, Llewellyn Mnguni’s majestic Gertrude echoes the steps and the spins as though a reflection against the surface of the water. A voiceover of Gertrude’s vivid soliloquy that describes Ophelia’s drowning, is unnecessary. The power of the visuals should be left to stand alone.
Nevertheless, a knowledge of the story is essential to appreciate the full meaning of the dance. The inclusion of an actor (Aphiwe Dike) to play Hamlet in addition to dancer Tumelo Lekana is an attempt to explain some of the action, and as a device is successful, if a little jarring. The show opens with the ‘To Be or Not to Be’ speech, neatly introducing Ophelia – the ‘Nymph in thy Orisons’ – during its closing couplet. Lekana and Madise have an undeniable chemistry as they circle each other, attracting and repelling in equal measure. A flirtatious tarantella – almost erotic – gives way over time to aggression and Hamlet’s cruel rejection of Ophelia. Dialogue once again replaces the wordless dance, but this time the effect is diminishing.
Thuthuka Sibisi’s score is a powerful driving force, mixing African rhythms with discordant violins and distorted organs. The drums beat throughout, anchoring the staccato movements of the ensemble. The moves are precise and rapid, but a grace pervades like the glissandos and slurs that punctuate the music. Moments of celebration, and then of fighting, go hand in hand. Like Shakespeare’s original, the finale arrives in a bit of a rush. Yet Masilo’s sensitive choreography manages to slow it down, while Suzette le Seur’s lighting bathes the stage in blood-red washes. Everybody drinks from the poisoned chalice. Everybody ends up dead on the ground. Visually it is a spectacle, but we feel a touch emotionally deprived.
Dada Masilo’s “Hamlet” is a gorgeous fusion of styles. The costumes draw from many sources; mixing Flamenco flourishes, lounge-jazz tuxedos and shades of Commedia Dell ‘Arte. Hamlet and Ophelia often come across as a Harlequin and Colombina couple. The ballet is fast paced, and before you know it, the hour-long performance has reached its finale. It has been invigorating, even if Ophelia’s side of the story hasn’t lived up to the heights promised at the outset. ‘Dance is not worth doing if it doesn’t have a visceral impact’, Masilo said in the run up to creating this show. This revival certainly lives up to her ethos and her standards. It is a compelling dance piece: erratic and tragic; beautiful and brutal. The Dance Factory have done her legacy proud with this evocative production.
HAMLET
Sadler’s Wells
Reviewed on 25th May 2026
by Jonathan Evans
Photography by Lauge Sorensen
