Hamlet, in Take Wing and Soar Productions' construction of Shakespeare's classic play, is a black man with long dreds that nearly touch his waist. Occasionally, a small earring sparkles from the top of one of his outer ears. He speaks in Elizabethan English.

Most likely, this is not the image many people had of Hamlet when they first approached the text or simply heard a reference to the play. Yet this surprising approach to Hamlet's portrayal, as well as for most of the major and minor characters, feels completely natural. As a result, the T.W.A.S Classical Actors and Timothy D. Stickney join together to create a memorable interpretation of Hamlet in an art world where many already exist.

The staging at The Workshop Theatre is simple. Two regal drapes stand on each end of the stage. A small platform, with a painting of a king behind it, sits against the back wall. The tiled floor is a solemn gray with no rugs or other adornments on its surface. There are two doors on either side of the stage covered by black velvet curtains for quick entrances and exits from the stage. Lighting thoroughly conveys the mood of each scene. Soliloquies or ghost appearances are dark with a dim spotlight on the principal character. The background music, created by David D. Wright, is effective at briefly drawing the audience into the scene; after a few moments it feels almost painful to endure.

The play is almost completely faithful to the original text of Hamlet, line by line, and, as a result, has a long runtime. This also allows the audience to witness the development of most of the relationships between the characters. We feel Hamlet's pain when his father's ghost visits him, and struggle to determine if a division between his acts of insanity and the ÒrealÓ Hamlet exists. We watch as King Claudius and Hamlet's relationship intensifies and clashes like their opposing skin tones. We shift with anticipation in our seats during the final fencing scene.

Although all of the characters are noteworthy, Polonius has the show easily tucked in his back pocket. He wears a gray suit that matches his puffy beard and hair. His slightly raspy, strong voice is perfect for coming across as a crazy old man who has a talent for giving acting instructions. His character never fails to provide comic relief through his embodiment of concern for his family paired with his smiling unawareness about Hamlet's jokes.

While the technical aspects of Hamlet are weak, the actors' performance as a whole has a very natural feel. Small problems like rough background music, buzzing wires and missing programs can easily be fixed. A cast as promising as the T.W.A.S. Classical Actors, who help us realize that the dilemmas and themes in Hamlet are universal, is much harder to put together.