Albania’s first female Hamlet goes onstage in Tirana
16 October 2015
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Samuel Goff
The first Albanian production of Hamlet to feature a female lead opened this week in the capital Tirana.
On 10 October, the Kujtim Spahivogli Experimental Theatre hosted the premiere of a new production of William Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy, directed by Enke Fezollari from a translation by Fan Noli. Veteran stage actor and former MP Luiza Xhuvani plays the tragic Prince of Denmark, in a cast also featuring Andi Begolli, Endri Çela and Julinda Emir.
Speaking at a press conference before the premiere, Mr Fezollari said: “The issues contained in Hamlet go beyond mere revenge”, noting that Shakespeare’s play is about an individual who fights “the politics of power and manipulation”.
Initial reviews have been mixed, with critic Valeria Dedaj praising Xhuvani’s ability to convey the “pain” of the tragic hero but noting the “rigid” and “weak” portrayals of Claudius and Gertrude respectively.
The production runs until 18 October.
