Image: Amanda Maple-Brown
Superhal sees classic literature combined with pop culture in a unique and spectacular way. It takes a very famous story and boils it down to its essence, creating something that is accessible to people through superheroes. What we have is 400 year old Shakespeare interpreted for our times.
Superhal is based on three different Shakespeare plays that have all been edited together into a single story, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2 and Henry V. It’s the story of a prince called Hal, (Richard Hilliar) who is heir to the throne but doesn’t really do what a prince should. Hal hangs out in the pub because he’s rebelling against his father. When there’s a civil war he joins his father against the rebels and they win. Unfortunately Hal’s father passes away and he becomes king and has to decide what type of a king he is to be.
“We set Superhal in alternate England, in the near future, where there are super people like in the comic books, people who can manipulate fire, water and lightning, people who have technological wizardry, people with giant sound cannons – all these kinds of crazy powers,” explained John Galea, Superhal’s writer/director, “There’s a lot of stage magic, pyrotechnics and visual sumptuousness in the production, a big, epic, exciting thing for people to watch and get lost in”
“We haven’t changed the language, it’s still Shakespeare but we’ve cut a lot of it out. The archetypes are already there, we’ve just translated them into something more contemporary,” added Galea.
Until Mar 18. NIDA Parade Theatre, 215 Anzac Parade, Kensington. $35.65-$45.85. Tickets & Info: www.thepuzzle.com.au
By Mel Somerville.
