Eddie Izzard’s "Hamlet"

Just like her previous one-woman performance of Great Expectations, this production was born from Eddie Izzard’s drive to continually challenge herself. Hamlet is a part many actors aspire to play – and Eddie took on not only that role, but every role in this well-loved Shakespearean masterpiece. The production’s minimalistic scenic design called for dynamic lighting that would complement the action while maintaining a subtle atmosphere.

Lightswitch took a highly theatrical approach to this design, with subtle yet high-contrast side lighting to differentiate the characters. By using these opposing warm and cool lights, Eddie was able to distinguish characters not only through her voice and physicality, but also with the very appearance of her face. Similarly, shadows played a large role in our design. Most notable iswas the moment when Hamlet sees the King’s ghost. With only Eddie onstage, we created the ghost from her own shadow – adding both visual and thematic interest to this famous tale.

We also recognized the need for catharsis during the intense story. We integrated short moments of rest and reflection for both Eddie and the audience, utilizing isolated lighting to transition between scenes, locations, and moods

The creative constraints of this project ultimately gave us the chance to take risks and come up with a bold design. For example, the set’s low-hanging scenic header – while sometimes challenging to install in a new venue – ultimately resulted in the visually engaging side light that sculpted and shadowed Eddie during her performance.

Most importantly, our established relationship with Eddie and the rest of her creative team propelled this project to success. Because of her trust in us, we were able to forge ahead with dramatic lighting looks, granting the story new life and adding intriguing layers of visual storytelling.

photography by Carol Rosegg & Amanda Searle