11/50
Struggling actors Sam and Mark find solace from their isolation by performing Hamlet in Grand Theft Auto Online (2022), battling the mourners as they connect through William Shakespeare. Grand Theft Hamlet is a hilarious, moving, and inspiring documentary that will grab your interest just by reading the premise. The documentary is set in January 2021, and the UK is still in lockdown due to COVID-19; to pass the time, two actors Sam Crane and Mark Ostween decide to play Grand Theft Auto Online. While playing the game, they find an almost hard-to-find area of the game—an amphitheater called The Vinewood Bowl (inspired by the real-life Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles), which serves as a venue for concerts and events. Using this discovery, a funny idea was born: a digital production of Hamlet. They decide to act out some monologues from the play, which leads to some hilarious moments when they are interrupted by other players who open fire on them, so they shoot back, and then a SWAT team quickly arrives on the scene to further escalate the chaos. . The funniest part is that he is still performing his solo speech while shooting at the police. The entire documentary is included in the video game, and the gameplay footage is recorded. However, the funny idea turns into a serious project. The plan is to play out the entire play of Hamlet using GTA, create an online audition for the game to attract people, conduct rehearsals, block it, and eventually stream the event live. But this comes with challenges and difficulties, such as organizing a production in the world of a video game. Whether it is problems with internet connection, accessibility, or other players interrupting the rehearsal, it all becomes a huge headache and a hassle for everyone involved. The funniest part of the documentary is how ridiculous it all is. There was a lot of laughter from everyone, including me. But I was struck by how personal and, oddly, thought-provoking it was. There comes a point where they ask why they’re doing it and why this stupid idea is causing so much stress. Some of them have families to provide for, others have jobs. But for some, it gives them purpose, drive, and a therapeutic escape. So, this stupidity gives someone a reason to keep going. Or the one part where an actor who is transgender finds a deep connection to the play and the character of Hamlet, because when they came out to their family members as transgender, they realized that they didn’t know their real characters until the ugly truth. They become more distant than before. Shakespeare’s text is still relevant, and what amazes me is the different interpretations that people can get from the play. Watching it made me think about certain things. Yes, Grand Theft Hamlet made me think about things. After the screening, we had a quick Q&A with Mark Oosterveen. I’ve never been to a Q&A before, and I’m glad I stuck around because I learned a lot more about this doctor. Mark had something compelling to say about his acting style, which is a mix of puppetry (controlling your avatar in a game) and voice acting (using a headset microphone to talk online). But what’s even more crazy and surreal is that the Royal Shakespeare Company contacted them asking if they had a live performance taped so they could show it to younger people and get them interested in Shakespeare. Not bad. Overall rating: the wildest and most wonderful documentaries.