Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Double Cross

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

by Tom Stoppard

Putney Theatre Company at the Putney Arts Theatre Studio until 20th June

Review by Heather Moulson

Setting Tom Stoppard’s absurdist tragicomedy in an avenue offers promise, and indeed the bare stage is brought to life by strong performances. Our ‘heroes’ banter as they toss a coin and debate on laws of probability.

Lonje Kalanda, playing Rosencrantz, is matched by Rob Ryan’s strong performance as Guildenstern. (Although the former come over as being a little too loud for this intimate setting.)

Emotions fly at us in this iconic piece. Tragedy, humour and profound words are all thoughtfully brought to life, and the scenes from the plot of Shakespeare’s Hamlet are cleverly done. The edgy and effective use of sound, including Saint-Saëns haunting Danse Macabre, designed by Owen Thomas James, and Rich Evans and Teni Gomez’s sensitive lighting create an expectant atmosphere.

The Player makes a vibrant entrance and he is totally mesmerising. His accompanying Tragedians enhance the scene. It is a great performance by Eric Petrossian as The Player, and we look forward to seeing more of him. Relaxed, yet authoritative with his Tragedians, Petrossian’s Player makes a worthy use of the space.

Nathan Chatelier’s Hamlet is hapless and endearing, and Anastasia Babich’s Ophelia is nicely tragic. Ian Cooke’s Claudius and Edward Ogilivie’s Polonius are both strong and likeable. Julia Blyth creates a grand and sweeping presence playing Gertrude.

The Tragedians excel in their bloodbath performances, and make a terrific entrance in the second Act as stowaways on the ship, where there is a very clever use of the cargo. A clever touch is with the only male Tragedian, Finton McCluskey, being cast in female roles. With fellow Tragedians, Emma Buckley, Kelsey Norris, Eve Newton, Rebecca Fallon and Nora Holman they make up the highly watchable team of earnest thespians. Their smooth choreography is by Lyndall Brown and their intricate costumes form part of the play’s wardrobe design by Lexa Kirity, Alexa Adam and Simon Crump.

A striking ending has corpses strewn all over the stage and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern bewildered at their own execution. The final scene features the last few lines of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where it is announced that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead.

Co-directed by Will Hunter and Rob Wallis, who also directed the excellent Constellations, Putney’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is a studied and intelligent exposition of this complex piece.

Heather Moulson, June 2026

Photography by Chris Carr