Returning to Yourself: The Return of Meaning
“To be or not to be” — the immortal phrase of the great Shakespeare, which everyone interprets in their own way. Philosophers believe that when the meaning is unclear, it is only logical to return to the original intent.
Audiences who wish to become living witnesses to a miracle unfolding before their eyes will have an opportunity to reflect on this idea at the NAC on February 25–26, 2026.
As a connoisseur and devoted admirer of ballet, having seen this production in Montreal, I can guarantee a realm of absolute magic during the ballet adaptation of Hamlet, based on Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name and set to music by John Gzowski.
The performance runs without intermission and lasts exactly one hundred minutes. A hundred hours will pass after you see it, and then a hundred days, yet thoughtful spectators will continue searching for answers to the eternal question of existence.
Theatre is a magical place. By addressing the spiritual world of the human being from the stage, it is meant to leave a mark on the hearts of its audience. The more professional and harmonious the team of creators and performers behind a particular production, the deeper that mark will be — especially in ballet.
Graceful movements polished to perfection, technically conscious choreographic phrases, and eloquent pantomime artistry are harmoniously intertwined in the art of ballet — “the most MORAL of all the arts,” as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky regarded it.
Classical ballet and contemporary choreography are two opposites. Having watched several hundred ballet performances, I have always given unconditional preference to the classics. Yet this avant-garde production of Hamlet is the most vivid and profound contemporary dance performance I have ever seen.
The choreographer and performer of the role of Hamlet is Guillaume Côté, the celebrated principal dancer of the National Ballet of Canada, a French Canadian artist who has been developing his skills as a choreographer for several seasons.
His elegant physique, posture, and musicality lend him a sense of nobility. But what elevates him to another level is his gift as a ballet creator — a talent by no means possessed by every dancer.
Guillaume Côté’s fascinating choreographic discoveries are impossible to miss even for an unprepared spectator.
There are no pointe shoes or dizzying fouettés in Hamlet. Instead, as ballet people jokingly say, there is mostly “rolling around on the floor.”
Hamlet’s solo with a sword is particularly striking. In this production, the sword, like other stage props, is highly symbolic and has an extraordinarily powerful impact on the audience. Such virtuoso sword handling clearly suggests close work with professional fencing specialists.
In another scene, contrasting white and scarlet ribbons, originally attached to the swords, seem to transport the audience for a few minutes into the world of rhythmic gymnastics.
The mirrors present on stage, though invisible to the audience, appear to have been borrowed from circus performances.
The intelligent and highly unusual use of symbolic masks is absolutely captivating.
Personally, I was deeply impressed by the scene with Ophelia against the backdrop of a blue abyss-like curtain. On the other side of it, her stage partners perform complex lifts together with her while remaining completely invisible to the audience!
This synthesis of several different art forms within a single production is nevertheless called ballet.
Despite the absence of live music, the performance leaves an unforgettable impression and a profound mark on the souls of those who see it.
Much of the credit belongs to the choreographer and performers. What truly turns the production into a masterpiece, however, is its impeccable scenography — sets, costumes, makeup, masks, lighting, sound, video, and props — and the internationally acclaimed artist behind it all, Quebec-born Robert Lepage.
For several years, Robert Lepage headed the French Theatre at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. In the mid-1990s, he founded his own multidisciplinary production company, followed somewhat later by an interdisciplinary production centre.
A director of several Cirque du Soleil productions, creator of numerous exhibitions, and director of many rock concerts and dramatic performances, he has also made a major contribution to the art of cinema.
The brilliant Robert Lepage has also ventured into opera. For example, his production of Das Rheingold was presented with tremendous success at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Such versatility in a gifted creative personality makes one want to take one’s hat off to him.
Lepage’s triumphant entry into the world of ballet is closely connected with his fruitful collaboration with Guillaume Côté.
Robert Lepage is one of the greatest theatre directors of our time. By using new technologies, he constantly expands the boundaries of theatrical performance — turning fairy tales into reality and making the impossible possible.
Even those who know little about ballet will not remain indifferent to a production shaped by Robert Lepage.
Do not miss this masterpiece!
Step into its magic — and receive at least 100 minutes of extraordinary emotions.
Marina Kochetova