Hamlet: Lighting design (direction, colour, intensity, special effects)

Hamlet: Lighting design (direction, colour, intensity, special effects)

Traditional Lighting Design

  • Early performances of Hamlet relied heavily on natural light as performances were typically carried out in outdoor playhouses during the day.
  • Candles and torches were used to provide illumination during indoor performances.
  • The director would use natural light to their advantage to symbolically represent themes. For example, the ghost scene is often staged during darker periods of the day to add an eerie element.

Contemporary Lighting Design

  • Modern lighting technology gives a director vast creative control, it can instantly control atmosphere, focus, realism and mood.
  • Gobos often make appearances in performances of Hamlet. For instance, moonlight or forest patterns can be projected across the stage to set the scene.
  • LED lights are used for their flexibility, offering a rich range of colour that can alter the audience’s perception of mood within a scene.
  • Lighting can isolate or highlight specific areas, such as when Hamlet is contemplating mortality during the “to be or not to be” soliloquy.
  • Blackout moments or rapid switches in lighting, can shock and drive home dramatic events such as Polonius’ death.
  • The use of special effects such as strobe lighting can mimic lightning in the scenes with the Ghost, or be used to suggest chaos or madness.

Lighting Design and Interpretation

  • Director’s interpretation of the text heavily influences how lighting design is used. Some directors may opt for a more naturalistic approach, using lighting to suggest authenticity and realism.
  • Conversely, others may prefer a more stylized approach, utilising unusual colours or intensity to reflect the psychological turmoil of the characters within.
  • Special attention is often given to scenes like the Ghost’s appearance or the play-within-a-play; lighting effects can completely change how the audience interprets these moments.
  • Like set design, lighting design strongly contributes to the overall understanding and interpretation of Hamlet by setting a tone through atmosphere, highlighting themes and providing an emotive landscape.