‘Grand Theft Hamlet’ Review – An Innovative And Chaotic Ode To Connection In A Time of Isolation

Courtesy of Mubi.

Imagine it’s 2021, and you’re in the middle of yet another COVID-19-related lockdown. You’re an out-of-work actor with no way to pursue your dreams and ambitions. So, what do you do? Well, if you’re Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen, you stage a production of Hamlet within Grand Theft Auto. Directed by Sam Crane and his partner, Pinny Grylls, Grand Theft Hamlet follows the most unusual Shakespeare staging you’ll likely see in a long time. Filmed entirely within Grand Theft Auto Online, Grand Theft Hamlet offers a chaotic blend of a YouTube “Let’s Play” and a more traditional behind-the-scenes documentary. An ode to the power of live theatre and the connections it can give in even the darkest of moments, Grand Theft Hamlet tells a tale of hope, disaster, and human creativity.

How Do You Stage Hamlet in a World as Chaotic as Grand Theft Auto?

In the midst of the COVID-19 lockdowns, two out-of-work actors, Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen, devise an unusual idea to pass the time. The pair strive to mount a production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet set entirely within the world of Grand Theft Auto – come hell or high water. What follows is one of the most unusual documentaries to come out in years. It’s a look behind the scenes at the staging of a virtual play during the height of a global pandemic set against the backdrop of Grand Theft Auto. Put simply, Grand Theft Hamlet really shouldn’t work given that it’s shot entirely within the world of Grand Theft Auto – an online experience known for its chaos and unpredictability. And yet, Crane, Oosterveen, and Grylls manage to pull off the seemingly impossible.

Despite its gimmick-sounding premise and occasional forays into seemingly scripted drama, Grand Theft Hamlet perfectly captures the highs, lows, chaos, and heartbreaks of putting together a piece of theatre from its earliest inception to its grand opening. Shockingly, staging a play within Grand Theft Auto doesn’t change Crane and Oosterveen’s approach to getting the production off the ground. It just adds an extra level of chaos on top of things as any given rehearsal could be interrupted by a group of players massacring the cast at any moment – on top of the usual stress of gathering a cast, learning lines, and nailing complex technical cues. So, you know, nothing a group of thespians can’t deal with. And in that sense, Grand Theft Hamlet slots in nicely alongside any number of similar glimpses behind the curtain of theatrical productions.

Hope and Connection in a Time of Isolation

But what makes Grand Theft Hamlet truly shine is the way it so brilliantly captures this specific moment in human history. It’s 2021, and the UK finds itself in the middle of a third COVID-19-related lockdown. The theatre houses remain closed, and all of the actors find themselves in utter isolation. So, how do you find that all-important human connection in the face of such utter isolation? For many, that’s interacting with each other through video games. In a way, the idea of escaping into video games as a way of finding human connection feels counterintuitive, but Grand Theft Hamlet perfectly captures the notion of finding humanity within the unexpected. As Crane and Oosterveen navigate the ins and outs of their virtual production, they slowly build a community of like-minded people connected solely by their love of Grand Theft Auto and their desire to pull off this objectively bonkers experiment.

And yet, there’s real, genuine emotion to mine out of these interactions. Grand Theft Hamlet explores moments of insecurity, bravery, and deep-rooted isolation. It’s a chronicle of an innovative piece of theatre, sure. But it’s also a chronicle of the perseverance of the human spirit and the search for true connection. Through their production of Hamlet, Crane, Oosterveen, and Grylls find solace in each other’s company and in the community they’ve built together. There’s this wonderful nugget of true humanity buried deep within the chaos of this bombastic, borderline silly premise. The power of live theatre has always been its ability to offer both its patrons and performers a sense of connection. And that sense of connection lies at the very center of Grand Theft Hamlet in the most moving of ways.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, Grand Theft Hamlet may just be one of the most original documentaries in a long time. While initially feeling gimmicky, Grand Theft Hamlet gorgeously mines the humanity at the heart of pushing for connection in a time of isolation. It’s a fast-paced, quippy chronicle of the staging of a virtual production of Hamlet set entirely within the world of Grand Theft Auto, yes. But at its heart, it’s an ode to the power of live theatre, to its unique ability to connect people across time zones and socioeconomic statuses. It offers a perfect snapshot of a very specific, wrought moment in human history in the form of a warm hug. It has its share of awkward, stilted moments, sure. But it’s unique, original, and deeply moving; well worth a glimpse for the uninitiated and a true piece of joy for all theatre lovers.

Grand Theft Hamlet opens in theaters on January 17th courtesy of MUBI.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OloHiBOMPm