A warm summer night in Royden Park near West Kirby on Wirral. Could there possibly be a more idyllic setting for The Hillbark Players to enact the murder and mayhem that exists within Prince Hamlet’s Denmark? A setting and a production of incomparable beauty that’s filled with energy and a curious lightness that makes the three hours seem half that. The twenty-sixth, biennial Shakespeare production to be put on by this most accomplished of amateur productions companies, puts many a professional troupe to shame. Tight, engaging, enthralling and - above all - passionate, there is not a duff performance to be seen or a single actor who does not revel in their moment beneath the clear blue skies.

As enchanting as any auditorium, the clearing in the woods shrouds these productions in its own natural ambience. The lights reflecting down upon proceedings from the surrounding trees manage to imbue events with their own spectral presence. This long before Mike Ellis makes his ghostly appearance as the newly murdered king, amidst clouds of dry ice and a booming voice that echoes from the hedgerows. The set is simple but effective. Elsinore is a duel tiered affair in and around which the action takes place, whereas the costumes are each Christmas box bright and accompanied by some of the most lethal looking props imaginable.  As already said, the acting is exemplary, with director Nick Sample having marshalled his troops to within a gnats whisker of perfection. As Claudius, the usurper king, Charles Riley is huge in both voice and deed. His presence is as kingly as his performance, with his deceit lying in his normality.

As Gertrude and Polonia, Pauline Garland and Caroline Kay are both assured in what are two of the most harrowing roles The Bard has created for women players. Similarly, Fiona Williams totally nails the angst and anxiety of Ophelia; her distress and rage clear for all to see. As Horatio, Stuart Rathe is what everybody wants in a best mate: confident, assured, laid back and determinedly loyal, his is a performance to savour, as is that of Theo Spofforth as the doomed, damned Laertes. And for Pythonesque shenanigans, look no further than Andy Jordan and Geraldine Molony-Judge as the bawdy gravediggers. Yet, with all this said, there is little doubt that the performance of the evening has to sit firmly with the play’s eponymous character. As with all plays, there are good and bad productions even of Shakespeare’s longest and arguably most beloved of plays. In all of these, the actor playing the lead is either perceived as being either strong or weak in the role of which many, if not everybody, knows at least one line which he utters.

In Adam Stubbs, however, The Hillbark Players have unearthed a true, dynamic, charismatic and thoroughly captivating Prince of Denmark. His delivery and cadence are quite simply top notch, his manner as thought provoking as it is deliciously well timed and his overall ‘normality’ in the face of adversity is as uplifting as it is incredible to watch. Hamlet may be lofty, metaphysical and wide-reaching. It is also physical, immediate and, in stages, a deeply personal journey. For every “bare bodkin”, there is a “neither a lender nor borrower be”, “to be or not to be” and “alas poor Yorick”. For every “to thine own self be true”, there’s a “the lady doth protest too much”. It is a lofty tale, that here is told with the common touch and The Hillbark Players have produced a play of which every man, woman and child of them should be justly proud.

An absolute joy from beginning to end and roll on production twenty-seven.
Running Time: 3 hrs  PR RATING: ***** Powerful

n the gloriously sunny evening of Sunday 18th June, we attended the press preview night of Hillbark Players’ Hamlet production in the idyllic setting of Royden Park. From Monday 19th June through until Saturday 24th June, the beautiful Wirral park plays host to the theatre group’s huge Shakespeare showcase — having attended on the Sunday, we can confirm that it’s a truly magical experience not to be missed! Over £50,000 (all self funded and non-profit) had been spent on producing the week long extravaganza and the six months of hard work had led up to this point. Hillbark Players is a long standing presenter of open-air Shakespeare in the North West, having been founded in 1964 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, and has presented a production every other year since. We were privileged to experience the theatre group’s first ever production of Hamlet — and we were not disappointed!
With the sun beaming down and the birds singing, we followed the signs through the woods until we discovered the site and the impressive 490 seat theatre. After talking with Director, Nick Sample, and Assistant Director, Ruth Stenhouse, it was soon time to get settled with our Prosecco and strawberries and watch the drama unfold. With this being a three hour performance, we were treated to an edited and arguably more action packed play and the wooded backdrop and sounds of nature provided the perfect setting.
From the off, we were thrust straight into drama with the death of Hamlet’s father and in the true style of Shakespeare theatre, some of the characters entered the theatre from behind the audience — giving us that all encompassing feeling. It was clear money had been spent, with smoke effects and dramatic music from the surrounding speakers. The music throughout was often poignant and powerful, adding to the allure of the live performance.

As the plot unfolded and we were taken through the scenes, one thing remained particularly striking — the calibre of each and every one of the actors. In each case, the delivery was concise and clearly well refined through months of practise. Hillbark Players had offered open auditions for the roles and as such had recruited some of the most experienced acting talent in the North West — that said there were some debuts in live theatre on display, although no-one would have noticed. All actors were deeply involved with their characters and there were some fascinating and entertaining interactions, particularly between Ophelia and her brother and of course the intense and passionate engagements between Ophelia and Hamlet.
The quality of acting throughout was indeed very impressive and it was impossible not to be completely absorbed from start to finish. I was most impressed with Adam Stubbs, who portrayed Hamlet with tireless energy and whose commanding and charming lead performance kept the audience entranced — definitely one to watch for the future. I was also mightily impressed by Charles Riley’s portrayal of Hamlet’s Uncle and new King, Claudius, with a disposition similar to Brian Blessed and the larger than life character of a true King (although Claudius is quite possibly not as warm and likeable as Brian Blessed). Both actors had a phenomenal stage presence — truly captivating.  The interval was timed perfectly, with the second half quickly producing the sequence of deaths and tragedies. The developments with the key characters were captured extremely well and it was fascinating to watch the characters change as the plot thickened. As with the first half, the acting was enthralling, but what made the second half even more entertaining to watch was the lighting and atmosphere. As dusk descended on Royden Park, the lighting effects came into their own and the atmosphere was electric! Shakespeare under the stars on a summer night — a quite unique experience!
As we all know, the Hamlet story progresses into fights and more further deaths, in an engrossing script. I found the fight scene between Hamlet and Ophelia’s brother, Laertes (played superbly by Theo Spofforth), the most entertaining scene of all. The parrying and jousting was mesmerising and the final events that followed were executed in an emphatic manner.
In summary, a fantastic evening of entertainment! The thriving music scene of Liverpool and the North West is documented so well, however much must be said about the quality of our local theatre scene — a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend an evening. I think it’s also very important to keep Shakespeare alive and credit is due to Hillbark Players for such a unique production and for bringing Shakespeare into the modern world. There are so many things to do this summer but we highly recommend the huge open air Hamlet production in Royden Park courtesy of Hillbark Players. If you’re reading this before Saturday 24th June 2017, it’s not too late to attend….

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Following the production, I caught up with Director, Nick Sample, for a little Q&A:
Urbanista: What has been your favourite production you’ve been involved in as a Director over the years?

Nick: I’ve been fortunate enough to direct a lot of productions, from musicals to dramas, comedies, brilliant modern plays and Shakespeare. I seem to have been involved in some plays several times –The History Boys, which I directed last year at Altrincham’s Garrick Playhouse, having previously appeared in it as Hector twice before, or The Accrington Pals, of which I’ve directed two really memorable, moving productions, stand out.  Nearly all have great memories for me for all sorts of reasons, but I’d have to choose two particular productions that I’ve directed as being tied for both my favourite and most memorable:
Firstly, Amadeus, by Peter Shaffer, which I directed for Bebington Dramatic Society in 2002 – a fantastic play about the decline and death of Mozart. I was fortunate to have a brilliant cast and crew involved in this, led by a truly memorable performance by David Oliver as Salieri. And with Mozart’s music being integral throughout, ending with the sound of his hugely powerful Requiem filling the auditorium – I absolutely loved it.
Secondly, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which I was lucky enough to direct for Hillbark Players in 2009. This was one of those productions where everything that I had wanted to achieve with this play as a director came together brilliantly, from the staging, the wonderfully evocative costumes, the brilliant specially-composed  soundtrack, the tremendous fight scenes, and a superb cast who all came together to create a piece of theatrical magic. I’m still immensely proud of it – as, I believe, are many of the people who were involved.
Urbanista: What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?
Nick: Well, from my previous answer it would have to be Macbeth. Although I do really like Twelfth Night.
Urbanista: Who is your favourite Hamlet character and why?
Nick: Claudius. I think that Shakespeare’s alleged ‘baddies’ are much more interesting characters – Iago in ‘Othello’, or Shylock in ’The Merchant of Venice’ (although whether he is the ‘baddie’, or just as much a victim as Antonio in that play is debatable) for example – and have a lot more depth than some of his supposed ‘heroes’. Claudius is a great, manipulative character with depth of feeling and motivation, and gives the actor portraying that role an opportunity to create something memorable.
Urbanista: If you could choose 5 actors to star in a Hamlet production, who would they be and what characters would they play?
Nick: Blimey, an impossible question to answer! There are so many… If you included famous actors who are sadly no longer with us but (in their day) would have been superb in certain roles, then you could go on and on – Robin Williams would have made a fantastic Gravedigger, for example. However, by reducing the list to people who are around and working in Britain today – and assuming I had the colossal production budget I’d need to be able to pay what all of these people would want – you couldn’t do much better (in my eyes) than having the following people involved:
I think it’s about time that Sir Kenneth Branagh played Claudius, and I’d pair him up with the quite brilliant Sarah Lancashire as Gertrude. I’d like to see Tom Hughes play Hamlet. He’s a really talented young actor who has previously worked with Matt Baker’s ‘Theatre In The Quarter’ company in Chester, but is probably best known (so far) for being Prince Albert opposite Jenna Coleman in ITV’s ‘Victoria’ last year. I believe Hugh Laurie would make an excellent job of Polonius, as would Ralph Fiennes, who is a superb comic actor (even though he hardly ever gets cast in comic roles)… and, as one of the Gravediggers, I would happily have either James Corden or Peter Kay.
Urbanista: What plans do you have in the next two years until the next Hillbark Players’ production?
Nick: A rest! Getting some sleep!… In terms of Hillbark Players, it really depends upon how this week works out (financially). Our productions cost almost £50,000 to stage, and nearly all of our income to cover that cost comes through ticket and programme sales from the current production. In recent years, we’ve started performing small-scale, bring-a-chair ‘fund-raising’ shows in the grounds of Hillbark Hotel in order to boost our finances, so we may well be doing something along those lines next year.
From a personal standpoint, I’ve been asked by Altrincham Garrick Playhouse to direct their November premiere staging of Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall”. Like Hillbark Players, they’re another very professionally-run organisation who hold ‘open auditions’ for every production… so if anyone is interested in being Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn or any of the myriad of characters in that play, please get in touch!

Full Cast: David Caldwell, Andy Jordan, Stuart Rathe, Simon Garland, Charles Riley, Dave Bolitho, Martin Riley, Theo Spofforth, Caroline Kay, Adam Stubbs, Pauline Garland, Mike Ellis, Fiona Williams, Jack Hirons, James Dorman, Charlotte Cumming, Keith Hill, Carys Cooper, Daniel Short, Gemma Davidson, Adrian Davies, Geraldine Moloney-Judge, James Kay, Alexander Breathnach, Karen Cumming, Sally Lynam
Produced & Directed by Nick Sample
Assistant Director: Ruth Stenhouse

A local Amateur Dramatic Group have been putting on Shakespeare plays in the open air since 1964. The standard of acting (and direction) is usually superb - indeed I would say that the productions by these 'Hillbark Players' has been consistently better than what is being offered by the RSC. This humble group of very talented actors and directors have been quietly serving Shakespeare thoughtfully and sensitively.
This year they are presenting Hamlet. I am currently working on...

Granty's Inferno - Review 21stth June 2017 – Wirral Globe On-Line

Hot off the stage:
‘Hamlet’ by Hillbark Players at Royden Park

A PIECE of Wirral greenery becomes Denmark (and other parts of pre- Brexit Europe) this week as the Hillbark Players offer their vibrant version of Hamlet at Royden Park in Frankby.
It is not an easy tragedy to trim down from four-plus hours but, at over three hours, director and producer Nick Sample - who also provides excellent set design with Nigel Cooper - should be very happy with the open-air production that features some outstanding performances from the 30-strong company. Hillbark are renowned for their enjoyable, accessible treatment of Shakespeare plays. A reputation that has grown solidly since 1964.
Adam Stubbs is the young prince Hamlet and clearly relishes the challenge. He rises to it very well and the great speeches are delivered with a fresh, youthful and energetic approach.
How many people have picked up that jester's skull and put their own mark on the Bard’s words.
Adam's diction is crystal clear. This production, set in Medieval times and in eye-catching costumes, opens with the funeral of King Hamlet. It is a striking image as the trees sway mildly in the background overlooking Elsinore Castle. Theatre in the woods has never been more attractive.
Atmospheric music and subtle lighting all add to the experience in relating this complex yet timeless tale of love, deceit, madness and Hamlet's self-examination on the futility of life.
It's always fun hearing some of Shakespeare's greatest quips.

It makes you realise just how much impact the Bard has on our language.
There are some stand-out performances Charles Riley as regal rogue Claudius; Stuart Rathe as hearty Horatio and Theo Spofforth's measured Laertes. Fine scenes, too, from the gravediggers Andy Jordan and Geraldine Moloney–Judge. Nice touch too from director Nick in is making Polonius – Polonia (Caroline Kay) and Rozencrantz's mate Guildenstern is now a female.
The cast is a mix of new players alongside some who have returned to the Hillbark family after an absence of several years. Well done to Dan Meigh's fight sequences.
The Hillbark Players are living and acting out the real theatrical tradition of Shakespeare.
There, indeed, is the rub. "Players well bestowed"
Four stars The show is on until this Saturday, June 24.

To whom it may concern
I was at attendance at your production on Tuesday and I am very glad to say that I was utterly amazed by the way that everyone performed this Shakespeare production. The cast were utterly amazing and I would like to give my thanks.

Hopefully next time you do a production there will be a young male part for me to audition for because I would love to be a part of an outdoor Shakespeare production.

Yours Sincerely
xxxxxx  St Edwards' College

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Hello,

We are simply writing to say how much we very much enjoyed your production of Hamlet this year.  All the cast were great, and, the actor who portrayed Hamlet was just excellent.

We felt the production lost nothing in being slightly adapted for a shorter version.

Kind regards,
Phil and Carol Roberts =

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Hi Mike,
Thanks for your reply and – just to let you know – we went to watch you last night and it was brilliant. I love Hamlet anyway but my partner has (unbelievably) never seen a Shakespeare play before and really enjoyed it too.
Thank you    Julia
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Dear Nick

I will catch up with you later in the week when I am on FOH duty but I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the play last night. I send my hearty congratulations to you, the cast and all the technical team. From an audience member’s perspective things appeared to go very well. The action moved on seamlessly. It presented as being very slick and professional. Well done to everyone involved!

It is invidious to single out performers but Adam gave an excellent performance. His diction and articulation was second to none! It was my first experience of watching a production of Hamlet and 3 hours in I can honestly say that my attention was never allowed to lapse! What is more I was able to follow the plot, an achievement indeed! Break a leg tonight. I am sure that you have a winner on your hands.

Kind regards   Michael Kennedy

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GRC Accountants Limited
We would like to say a massive congratulations to the Hillbark Players for putting on a fantastic performance of Hamlet in Royden Park again this year.
Even if you're not usually a Shakespeare fan, this captivating event is definitely worth a visit. Each and every performer and backstage assistant work so hard to pull off this magical event, we're delighted to have been involved as sponsor and have played our own (small) part!
With stand out performances from Charles Riley..., Adam Stubbs and Theo Spofforth if you haven't bought your tickets yet, there's still time as shows continue tonight, Friday & Saturday evening and a Saturday matinee.
Exciting times for GRC this week as we sponsor the Hillbark Players open-air production of Hamlet. We couldn't have picked a better week weather wise and the performances so far have received rave reviews! Set in a purpose-built 490-seat theatre created in Royden Park, Frankby, the productions have been running since 1964! We're not only sponsoring this year's event but Gareth is also kept busy as Stage Manager, taking over from his Dad, Nigel - (a tough act to follow) as he... was Stage Manager for over 27 years until he handed over the role to Gareth in 2015
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Richard Allan
Exceptionally well organised and polished event. Refreshments are reasonably priced. Staff and guides are friendly. Stands are undercover so rain is not an issue for spectators and would probably add an edge to the play anyway (dry on our night). The play itself is superb. This is only a few minutes away from us so I decided we should give it a go and swing by for a mooch. I was thinking Hamlet might be a bit high brow for me but I really enjoyed the story and the acting was amazing! Open air plays are fun!! Massive thanks to everyone involved for putting on a great show! See you next time!!

William O'Neill
Just seen Hamlet. Congratulations to the whole company. Possibly wrong to single people out, but special mention for Adam; you were excellent. Also Nick for developing his idea into a great final production. Enjoy this last show tonight. And special love to Charles. Great to see you back on stage again. Very well done

‎Marie Williams‎
To all those involved in this week's amazing production of Hamlet with Hillbark. During a staff meeting tonight, we were joined by members of staff from a school that had literally just returned from a school trip, to see this afternoon's performance. It was quite a challenge for the children to sit for such a long period, in the heat. ( and for some, after eating lots of sweets and fizzy drinks!!) However the staff said, if it hadn't been for the superb performances, most kids would have really struggled. They were very complimentary and one commented " hats off to the cast for keeping the children so engaged!!!"

Rob Poston
Just got back from watching the preview of Hillbark's Hamlet. If you're free one night this week, go and see it at Royden Park. It's excellent and worth every penny of your hard earned cash!! Huge well done to everyone involved. Sorry I didn't stick around, let's just say i was regretting the shorts and sandals by the end...

I saw it on Friday. I thought it was one of the best Hillbark productions I have seen. Really strong cast. They managed to keep the audience engaged through a very long show. Pity there weren't more people to see it. They missed a cracking production. Well done to all involved, a brilliant sparkling and well directed production – David Tolcher

Well done Nick for your excellent production of Hamlet. We saw tonight's performance and were really impressed and entertained. Some wonderful performances (even from Yorick) and an all round superb show. – Betty Oliver
David Oliver I echo that Nick, well done. Worth all the hard work!

What a truly magnificent production. I was totally exhausted and was near tears by the end. Be proud, immensely proud. – Tessa Williams

So good to see the tragedies put on at Hillbark. Really effective production and terrific acting – Helen Ash

It was an excellent performance, brilliantly directed, clever set and some amazing acting throughout the whole play. Loved it! – Liz Gould

Well, very lucky to have had a bit of a theatre marathon this last week. 4 fab shows in 7 days, but got to say saved the best ‘til last! The Hillbark Players production of Hamlet in Royden Park, is as good, in fact better than, any of the professional shows I saw. Amateur Dramatics?! No way!! What an amazing, atmospheric, tense production, if you haven’t already bought tickets, buy some now! – Terri McBride (on facebook).

Congratulations Nick on a wonderful production at Hillbark. I was particularly impressed with Adam Stubbs as Hamlet. I understood more from this production than I did the first time I saw it on TV, so you must be congratulated on that. Is there any chance that Hillbark would consider microphones?  I was sitting on the back row in main stand (Stand B) and my hearing might not be as good as it was, but as soon as certain people turned to the side stands or the back wall, every word was lost. This is my only niggle on what was a wonderful production (Although volume is more than a niggle). Well done that man! – Helen Belcham

Congratulations. What a great production tonight. You are so good at bringing out the best in people. Hamlet is a magnificent show. I loved the grave digging sketch. Wonderful black humour. Thanks for a wonderful evening’s entertainment. A triumph yet again! – Sheila Davies.

Brilliant last night – we all thoroughly enjoyed it; fantastic! – Ian Marshall

Jane Godman‏ @JaneGodman
Excellent performance (as always) last night by @HillbarkPlayers

Adam Valentine‏ @AdamValentine
Really enjoyed Hamlet by HillbarkPlayers in Royden Park last night. Will be back for the next one in 2019.

Andy Lawler‏ @LAW13R
Fabulous production ofHamlet by @HillbarkPlayers in Royden Park last night. Well done to everyone involved.

Simon Eardley‏ @simonjveardley
A fabulous performance ofHamlet by the @HillbarkPlayers last night in the atmospheric surroundings of Royden Park with some great friends!

Debbie TD‏ @Debbie_Torus
@HillbarkPlayers ..all kicking off in Hamlet this afternoon! #shakespeareinthepark

Jane Godman‏ @JaneGodman
Hope the weather stays like this for @HillbarkPlayers performance of Hamlet tonight

Debbie TD‏ @Debbie_Torus
Great performance by @HillbarkPlayers of #hamlet this afternoon! #shakespeareinthepark well done all

Barbara Gleave‏ @ChouetteWirral
Fantastic performance of Hamlet by @HillbarkPlayers A few remaining tickets for tonight.

@MGreenwoodWW
Great production of Hamlet by @HillbarkPlayers in Royden Park this afternoon... a few tickets left for tonight!

St Bridget's Year 6‏ @StBridgetsYear6 Jun 21
Year 6 loving our day out to Royden Park and experience Hamlet in the open air. @HillbarkPlayers

ChesterCostumeHouse‏ @ChesterCostume
@HillbarkPlayers Hamlet runs until Sat24/6 @ChesterCostume was delighted to provide all costume

Hillbark Players‏ @HillbarkPlayers
Lovely to welcome @WestKirbyGS @StBridgetsCofE and OLOP Juniors on site for our schools perf today