The Fifth Hamlet

The Fifth Hamlet

55 mins | Documentary | Jan. 14, 2009

What does the question “to be or not to be?” mean? 86 year-old director Olģerts Kroders stages his fourth production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the Valmiera Drama Theatre. The theatre is more than merely his occupation, for he not only works there but also spends all of his time in it. The film depicts his routine and the rehearsal process up until the premiere, and provokes a dialogue using the four actors who have all played Hamlet in the different productions. Kroders’s life and the lives of the actors tell the history of Latvia and the fates of different generations.

The Fifth Hamlet

55 mins | Documentary | Jan. 14, 2009

The Fifth Hamlet
What does the question “to be or not to be?” mean? 86 year-old director Olģerts Kroders stages his fourth production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the Valmiera Drama Theatre. The theatre is more than merely his occupation, for he not only works there but also spends all of his time in it. The film depicts his routine and the rehearsal process up until the premiere, and provokes a dialogue using the four actors who have all played Hamlet in the different productions. Kroders’s life and the lives of the actors tell the history of Latvia and the fates of different generations.
Producers Latvijas Kultūras akadēmija, Nomadi
Original title Piektais Hamlets
Directors Mārtiņš Eihe, Krista Burāne
Writers Krista Burāne

Cast