FREE WILLIE
Nude ‘Hamlet’ in Brooklyn will be Bardcore
WHAT A piece of work is man, indeed!
To bare or not to bare isn’t the question — it’s the whole conceit of a nude, all-male outdoor “Hamlet” beginning Aug. 10 in Brooklyn. The show is braced for its own slings and arrows in the wake of the Public Theater’s controversial Donald Trump-inspired “Julius Caesar.”
The upcoming Shakespeare tragedy is by Torn Out Theater, which last year produced a nude, all-female “The Tempest.” A spokeswoman said “Hamlet” is made to be explored via nudity.
“‘Hamlet’ is the story of a man in search of the truth,” said general manager Diana Levy. “He’s defying society and its hypocrisy. In a world filled with lies, being naked may be the only way to be honest.”
If not to put fannies in the seats (after all, tickets are free during the show’s Aug. 10-13 run at the Music Pagoda in Prospect Park).
The company notes on its website that using “a select amount of full nudity” raises questions about how the male body is perceived in America today.
“People have a lot of hangups about men’s bodies,” said Levy.
Torn Out, meanwhile, has no hangups with Shakespeare in the Park’s “Julius Caesar,” which ends Sunday. The interpretation caused sponsors Delta, Bank of America and American Express to pull financial support for the world-renowned nonprofit theater.
“We support the right of the Public Theater to tell important stories and to push boundaries through art,” said Levy. “Theater has always been a powerful vehicle for how we look at the world.”
Nudity is a powerful way to get audiences to pay attention — and it’s also legal — but only during performances.
“The actors can’t be naked during rehearsals,” said Levy.
That includes Jake Austin Robertson, a 2015 Princeton grad from Illinois who lives in Manhattan and stars as Hamlet. Compared with the enormity of the role, “being nude on stage is small potatoes,” the 24-year-old actor told the Daily News. “Nonetheless, I’d be lying if I said I’m not nervous. Upon being offered the part, I was cautious about the role of nudity, or let’s say nakedness, which I think holds deeper significance, in the play.”
Robertson regards the pomp and regalia of his character’s throne-stealing uncle as a mask for depravity and deceit. “So I hope that audiences will push past the shock of nakedness on stage, and see what it tells us about Hamlet.”
He’s up for the task of being emotionally and physically exposed.
“The point of this project is to be comfortable with who I am,” said Robertson. “But, yeah, I’ve added a few extra pushups and crunches to my daily routine.”