This Bravo! Network documentary chronicles the six-year journey of dynamic actor Raoul Bhaneja to mount an exciting one-man version of Shakespeare's Hamlet. This unique retelling of one of Shakespeare's most beloved classics opened January 4, 2006 at Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto. Hamlet (solo) later went on to be performed in New York, The Banff Centre for The Arts and Montreal, where it won the 2006 Montreal English Critics Circle Award for Best Visiting Production.
Bhaneja and director Robert Ross Parker began developing the project in 2000 while members of the Soulpepper Theatre Company. Hamlet (solo) combines the ancient art of storytelling and the modern invention of the “one-man show”. Hamlet (solo) draws on influences such as Clare Coulter's intimate performance of Wallace Shawn's The Fever and Bhaneja's experience at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London while a member of the International Artistic Fellowship in 2002. In addition to watching over twenty different productions of the play from all over the world, Bhaneja played Laertes opposite Tom Barnett's Hamlet at Halifax's Neptune Theatre in 2000.
Directed by Jeff Stephenson (Flyerman, 2003 Toronto International Film Festival), the documentary charts the development of the project from 2000 until the present. It chronicles the various personal and artistic struggles encountered en route to realizing Bhaneja’s ambitious goal. It includes Bhaneja interviewing a number of great Canadian actors who have played Hamlet including Christopher Plummer, Paul Gross, John Neville, Colm Feore, Brent Carver, Kenneth Welsh, Richard Monette, Joseph Ziegler, R.H. Thompson, Albert Schultz, Layne Coleman, Ben Carlson, and Tom Barnett.
Others who will be approached for interviews include:
- Keanu Reeves
- Robert Lepage
- Tom McCamus
- Stephen Ouimette
Hamlet (solo) focuses on the three most essential elements of theatre: The Actor, The Text and The Audience. Bhaneja drew inspiration from Robert Lepage's brilliantly conceived and designed one-man exploration of Hamlet called Elsinore, which he saw both in dress rehearsal in Montreal and at the National Theatre in London. However, Bhaneja’s production in contrast is a simply designed presentation without the aid of costume, set, and lighting changes. It concentrates on the script with Bhaneja playing seventeen parts in a two-hour version based solely on Shakespeare's text.
In describing Hamlet (solo) , Bhaneja says, “For many of us, our most powerful experience with the play Hamlet occurred on our first reading of it – outside of the theatre – where we, alone, had to conjure up the setting, characters and drama. With this production, the audience is guided through the actual text, almost in the way an ancient storyteller might do, where the actor/storyteller provides an outline or sketch of a character that the viewer extrapolates and builds upon.”
Raoul Bhaneja is no stranger to theatre, or Hamlet for that matter. He played Laertes in Neptune Theatre's staging of the tragedy. He is also the recipient of the prestigious Christopher Plummer Scholarship providing him the rare distinction of performing at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London, England as a member of the International Fellowship. Raoul attended the renowned National Theatre School of Canada. Since graduating in 1996, Raoul has worked extensively in theatre, television and film. Apart from his many stage appearances with various theatre groups, Raoul is often recognized for his work on television, most recently as Pete on the Global Television improvised commuter soap opera Train 48 . Other credits on television include the Ken Finkleman series Hotel , Puppets Who Kill , The Eleventh Hour and Open Heart in which he starred opposite Megan Follows. Raoul's first feature film was the starring role of John The Baptist opposite Mary Walsh and Andy Jones in Extraordinary Visitor . Major motion pictures include Godsend , Ararat and The Sentinel opposite Michael Douglas. Raoul is also the energetic front man of an award-winning jump blues band, Raoul & The Big Time . For further information please visit Raoul's website at www.raoulbhaneja.com.
Robert Ross Parker is currently based in Toronto and New York City. He directed the hit fringe shows Pseudolus , and A Midsummer Night's Dream Project . He has assisted with Soulpepper Theatre, New York's Labyrinth Theatre, and Philadelphia's People's Light and Theatre Company. He recently completed his Masters degree in directing from Ohio University. Robert attended Canterbury High School in Otttawa with Raoul, where they were both members of the 1990 National Championship Improv Team BOFA. The honest communication and rapport they have is the result of years of shared experiences. Robert is a fast rising name in the New York Theatre scene both as an actor and director.
Jeff Stephenson 's latest feature film, Flyerman ('03), premiered to much acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was released in North America in June, 2005. It was his second theatrical documentary along with Bellini's Drive ('98). He also directed a comedy series pilot and a rockumentary for the Crash Test Dummies entitled Crash Test Dude ('00). Jeff has his Masters Degree in Directing from the prestigious American Film Institute where he directed two multiple award-winning short films, Chasing Daylight ('04) and Moving In ('03). He recently completed co-writing and directing a project for Bravo! Network entitled Just Visiting ('05). Now Magazine in Toronto, the equivalent of New York's Village Voice or LA Weekly, recently voted Jeff the #1 Canadian Filmmaker To Look Out For.
I signed on to direct the documentary because I was interested in providing a revealing look at the artistic process and the constant struggles to realize one's vision. It is about the deeper, conflicting forces that compel someone to accomplish a challenging goal. It will not be a surface “fluff” piece praising Raoul's one-man show. I have no interest in doing a long-form promotional video for Raoul. And Raoul knows this. It's not about him showing off, which I don't believe is the case anyway.
It is our friendship that provides me with a deeper access to Raoul and the process. I can ask the toughest, most challenging questions and get a naked, unflinching look at the issues surrounding his aspiration to stage the show. In addition to this, I have used a “video diary” approach over the years that has yielded some extremely compelling, vulnerable footage of Raoul struggling with the various problems. Raoul shoots the footage of himself, with no one around. It is an intimate, emotionally raw Raoul that endears us to his journey.
The project for Raoul started as a way to counter-act the limits placed upon him as an artist because of his age and ethnicity. Being an “ethnic” actor, only 31 (26 when we started), Raoul knew he would most likely never be cast to play the classic roles, like Hamlet, that traditionally go to older, white guys from the establishment. So the idea for a one-man Hamlet originated from a maverick desire to create his own opportunity. It very much appealed to me that the show was borne from a rebellious spirit of sorts.
Of course having the idea, and then realizing it, is where the journey lies – and the story of the documentary for me. Raoul did not, nor could not, appreciate at the beginning the way in which life would provide so many obstacles to him realizing his vision. And therein lies the emotional truth of the story for me – that personal and artistic vision comes at a cost. There is a price to be paid for it. Is there a time when the cost is too much to bare?
Raoul wants to tackle this challenge as a way to push himself as an artist, and provide an opportunity to accomplish a feat that otherwise he would not have been afforded. He takes his craft seriously. From an acting stand point he wants to provide himself the best possible preparation. So he has work-shopped the piece at Stratford. He studied Shakespeare at the famed Globe Theatre in London, England. He sought-out the best director he could find, Robert Ross Parker. He memorized not only the biggest Shakespeare part, but those of 16 other characters. And he sought the advice of other Canadian actors who have played Hamlet before. Often, when Raoul speaks with these actors it is an illuminating look at the creative process and their attraction to certain universal stories and roles, like Hamlet.
It has been a 5-year struggle to prepare for such a grueling artistic feat, and often the process is riddled with self-doubt and insecurity about Raoul's ability to pull it off. This is not helped by bad reviews, which force Raoul to question whether the entire journey was worth it after all. Or is it enough to satisfy only himself? Or is the appreciative audiences enough? Or is validation from critics necessary and essential to feel like the artistic vision was a success? What if you don't get the great reviews? All these questions are asked and being examined in the documentary.
In addition to the acting side of things, life happens, and often gets in the way. This provides some of the most interesting, compelling drama from my perspective. During the course of Raoul trying to stage the play, his television acting career blossomed on Train 48 and other projects. He now had to address responsibilities to other shows, taking him away from Hamlet. However, this enabled him to purchase a house with his wife, Birgitte. So he had the new pressure of a mortgage and the money woes that coincide with two actors trying to have a steady income. With these financial pressures, it has been increasingly an issue for Raoul to bankroll his dream of a one-man Hamlet , which in large part he is doing.
Moreover, within the last year, Raoul and Birgitte had their first child. The birth of Alexander has had a profound effect on Raoul, as expected. The huge responsibilities of being a new father, and a husband, have to be constantly weighed with the demands of his ongoing artistic vision to realize the play. Striking a balance is extremely difficult, if even possible. This often leaves Raoul conflicted about whether he is neglecting one or the other too much. Birgitte also weighs in on these issues in the documentary.
These personal struggles have all been, and continue to be, documented in the film. The constant and ever-changing demands of life versus the demands of Raoul's artistic goal provide a central conflict that propels the film.
In the end, I am interested in providing an in depth look at someone driven to accomplish a challenging goal and the personal and artistic cost of pursuing it.
