When my mother phoned to inform me Keanu Reeves had agreed to play Hamlet for the Manitoba Theatre Center's annual Shakespearean production, I laughed. What, I asked myself, could this insignificant, stunted half of Bill and Ted fame have to offer in the interpretation of the most intriguing, tormented soul ever to grace the stage in the history of theatre? Perhaps more than I'd like to admit.

Reeves' brief theatrical stint in the Prairies was over two years ago. And while the periodic Keanu-sightings throughout the city of Winnipeg was far more crowd engaging than his actual performance as Hamlet, it could be argued that both Shakespeare's character and the L.A. actor have a great deal in common.

Hamlet is an emotionally disenfranchised youth, much akin to the soul-searching members of Generation X. Keanu is the embodiment of the self-absorbed, tormented, woe-is-me attitude characteristic of the Gen X group. Hamlet, like many of today's youth, has to contend with a myriad of troubling issues: the premature death of his father, his mother's re-marriage, the pressures of school, girlfriends, and all-consuming depression. Granted, he must also come to terms with the fact that his step-father is also his uncle and a ghost in the form of his father is haunting the castle. But in every other fashion, Hamlet is your typical Gen Xer.

So with these thoughts in mind, the successful yet unprecedented union of bard and boob, I attended Stanley Theatre's opening night performance of Hamlet. If Keanu had competently donned the role of Hamlet, obviously the play could be taken in virtually any direction, in terms of interpretation (as well as acting).

The Arts Club Theatre has proffered a postmodern interpretation of Hamlet. Circumventing the classical portrayal for a much simpler, stream-lined presentation, the Stanley Theatre is currently host to not only a literary masterpiece, but thanks to set designer Ken Macdonald and costume designer Nancy Bryant, an aesthetic masterpiece as well. Morris Panych has directed a group of abundantly talented actors through a most difficult terrain. And the end result is a completely engaging study of inner turmoil, torment and conflict.

Michael Shanks, also seen regularly on the TV series Stargate SG-1, has temporarily shelved his intergalactic escapades and sports a brooding disposition as the timeless character Hamlet. Giving one of the most consistent and cohesive performances of the entire cast, Shanks explores the pensive, despondent character in great depth.

Patti Allan's portrayal of Gertrude is taken in a rather dismal direction. Gertrude is depicted as a naive, submissive wife and mother, ignorant of the events unfolding around her. This seems a rather superficial interpretation of a complex character-a character capable of marrying her brother-in-law mere weeks after the death of her husband. This facet of the story, and the accompanying questions and complexities of the character, are not scrutinized in any detail.

Claudius (Gerry Mackay), Horatio (Dion Johnstone), Polonius (Bernard Cuffling) and Ophelia (Jennifer Clement) round out a cast of deft actors, who bring Shakespeare's script to life.

Using simple, geometric objects, the set designs for Hamlet evoke a clear, well-defined backdrop for the play. Blocks of rectangular wood, crimson red in colour, and long, thin cylinders of muted blue adorn the stage in various latitudinal and longitudinal positions. Simple black benches are re-arranged to represent different locales, signifying scene changes. Light is used to create further geometric images, aligning perfectly with the tiled floor to create squares, triangles and polygons of varying proportions.

This well-defined geometric posturing contrasts with the "rotten" state of affairs in Denmark. The uncertainty of morals, the corruption of values are adeptly played against the certainty of geometry in this postmodern production.

This aesthetic is further explored with costume. All characters on stage wear simple, militaristic type garments. Gray, black, coal and subdued earth tones reflect the dark, brooding mood of the play.

During scene transitions all actors move on and off the stage in rigid, automated motions. These determined and purposeful actions become coherent when considering the uniform-like costumes.

The use electronic imagery promises to be controversial. Projected on a plain backdrop and towering two stories in height, the head of the ghost fades in and out of sight while reciting its lines. This only serves to push the boundaries of interpretation in the classic play and facilitates the construction of a new rendition of Hamlet.

A lone violinist (Mark Ferris) scales the depths of emotions, moods and ambiance through music. Ferris perfectly accents every minute of the play.

Of late we've seen a resurgence in popularity and production of Shakespearean and other literary classics, both in film and the theatre. This is testament to the thematic relevance of plays like Hamlet. The Arts Club Theatre, by engaging a (post)modern aesthetic and pairing it with a classical Shakespearean tale, has produced a truly fresh and passionate play.

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