He's such an astonishingly fantastic actor. His eyes are so painfully expressive; I've never seen any actor in a Shakespeare play capture the emotion so well, and with such passion, and convey the meaning in such a personal way. He has such a wonderful, beautiful talent, and his passion shows through his acting.
I actually asked my teacher who's a big fan of him "why does he play disturbed/ evil characters so well?" And he said it's because David looks like a put together man someone normal someone you'd respect so seeing someone so normal acting not normal makes it even more disturbing
It's amazing how comprehensible he makes it. I've tried to read Shakespeare many times, and I always struggle through it, barely grasping what's being expressed; but just by their inflections, good actors can make you immediately understand it without any conscious effort.
*thank you* - glad I'm not alone - he is the ONLY actor who makes the words and emotions make sense -.bring Shakespeare's workmalive and comprehensible
Probably they were scared.. the performance is so good that it almost feels like we are with Hamlet himself.... and being anywhere near to a person who is breaking down like Hamlet in this scene can be quite scary.....
There's a moment, when he says "I have heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play-" and then he looks at the camera. That moment scared me, like I was the guilty creature sitting at a play. I could see the ferocity in his eyes. WOW.
The beauty of performing Hamlet is that each actor brings a bit of their personality to the performance. David makes this performance his own: mercurial and vulnerable,intense yet listless. If you've watched to the end of the clip, its because his performance is riveting.
Intense yet listless is how I feel in the face of what I live lately, Fabulousmyriad. It is disturbing. That's why Shakespeare and those who interpret him are for all time. Excuse me while I go get an aspirin.
David Tennant's acting is simply wow.. He's inspired me to do this monologue for my A level exam, I can't wait, although I know it'd be impossible to be any better then he is! He's Simply Marvelous!
I can tell you I think someday he will definitely be an Academy Award Winner if he ever gets a shot at a movie. You would think Hollywood would give him something better than Fright Night.
Am I a coward? Who calls me villain? breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard, and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? gives me the lie i' the throat, As deep as to the lungs? who does me this? Ha! 'Swounds, I should take it: for it cannot be But I am pigeon-liver'd and lack gall (550) To make oppression bitter, or ere this I should have fatted all the region kites With this slave's offal: bloody, bawdy villain! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! O, vengeance! Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murder'd, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words, And fall a-cursing, like a very drab, (560) A scullion! Fie upon't! foh! About, my brain! I have heard That guilty creatures sitting at a play Have by the very cunning of the scene Been struck so to the soul that presently They have proclaim'd their malefactions; For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak With most miraculous organ. I'll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle: I'll observe his looks; (570) I'll tent him to the quick: if he but blench, I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be the devil: and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me: I'll have grounds More relative than this: the play's the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.
I can't get over David as Hamlet... It's just so full of expression, and feeling, and energy. Fantastic performance! You get thrown right into the action and mind of Hamlet with him.
I love David Tennant, and I give him a lot of credit for playing Hamlet because it is not easy to play. My class just finished reading it. It was my second time reading it, and I still have trouble understanding it at times, but David Tennant makes me want to understand Shakespeare.
I made my parents watch this with me (i have the DvD) and thwy fell asleep once i turned on the telly, but I had a great time watching it alone, i cried when Hamlet died! David ‘s performance is amazing!!!! I love him! And also Much Ado About Nothin’ best ! Had an amazing laugh with him and Catherine! ❣️❣️❣️👌👌👌😂😂😂
Of all Shakespeare's plays the character of Hamlet is so very open to the individual actor's interpretation of this difficult role and it is difficult because of the complexity of the character of Hamlet. Many, many great actors have taken on the role and some have not always succeeded. Perhaps, traditionalists don't always appreciate modern versions of this play. Tennant is an example of a modern actor very much wooing the audience with a new take on the role. He does it well.
It is so easy to understand Hamlet like this. I never thought I'd say this about Shakespeare. Ever since I discovered David Tennant, it is like I stepped down the rabbit hole. What a phenomenal actor. And what a diverse repertoire - both roles as well as platforms. Plays, narrations, voice, film, TV... they all have their own requirements. Words fail me, truly. Ironically, I discovered him when a friend recommended him as an actor I'd enjoy (I'm not into watching films/TV, but enjoy any artist with their craft and this was his medium). She described him as a heartthrob. I saw the face and was like this is Kilgrave, fantastic acting but hardly romantic unless you're into creeps. Famous last words. Turned out I'm into this creep too. lol. But he's also Crowley, Doctor Who, Hamlet... one person in such different iconic roles making them his own till you can't see other performances without remembering him. The Doctor Who community can't discuss the character without mentioning him almost two decades after he quit and I'm sure this will be so with Hamlet as well. The sheer raw intensity he brings here. Incredible.
I love the fact that the further Hamlet descends into insanity, the more he resembles the Doctor. :-D God I love David Tennant. His is the first Hamlet performance I've actually been able to watch and not fall asleep halfway through. LOVE IT!
You know, this clip actually inspired me to read through the entire play, and I have to say, David's performance gives it so much life. I've watched clips from some other actors that are great, but it's like the difference between playing all the notes in a song, and playing all the notes with emotion. They're both good, but only one moves you.
I got chills from this. Completely engrossed in his acting....he is fantastic. Completely and utterly fantastic. I could never get enough of David Tennant!
Holy guacamole! David, sweetheart, not many men give me shivers, but you did. Oh, you did... this is epic. Shiver me timbers indeed. BTW Who the hell can dislike this??? Morons!
I'm studying Hamlet in AP Lit right now and I got this on itunes and it totally helps with like understanding Hamlet. That and i could listen to David reading the goshdamn phone book and I would be entertained
I wrote it someplace else, but it worth to repeat: IMO David Tennant is a GENIUS! He not just plays Hamlet, HE IS HAMLET! I've seen a few Hamlet performances before from great actors, but he is the first one who makes me see the man behind the role. When I saw the others I thought: Such a great drama!, but when I saw him I was: Oh, the poor guy! He just lost his father, his life is in ruins and doesn't know what to do... I think Shakespeare would be proud and pleased with David's performance.
A truly magnificent performance from David Tennant, whom I was fortunate to see in this production, and later watched the film on tv and to get the dvd. Was this really 14 years ago now?
Hamlet's coming as a ballet to my city. Unfortunately, it doesn't have David Tennant in it. Though Tennant doing ballet as Hamlet is something I would pay all my money to watch. That man is amazing.
oh he is just too briliant for words. i love Hamlet, and since about April this year i love David Tennant. "The play's the thing where in I'l catch the conscience of the king!"
Wow This is amazing. David is such an amazing Actor. He could make any Role Brillant. I Just love this scottish Guy!! Miss him as Ten. He will always be the most amazing Actor to me. Just simply Delightful :D
Lel Wyane you do realize shakespeare lived during the reinasaince period right? Cause if not that's just sad! Also David doesn't look like robert pattinson. He's also a better actor.
I recently watched good omens and of course I'm obsessed with crowley and I was trying to remember where else I've see david tennant and then I remembered...we were shown this version of hamlet in english class in my senior year of high school! I was amazed then & I'm amazed now - david tennant >>>>>>>>
Fie upon't! foh! About, my brain! I have heard That guilty creatures sitting at a play Have by the very cunning of the scene Been struck so to the soul that presently They have proclaim'd their malefactions; For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak With most miraculous organ. I'll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle: I'll observe his looks; I'll tent him to the quick: if he but blench, I know my course.
@heylookitsnana Every so often a word of two sounded a bit Scottish. Not that I minded too much (though normally I would). I could watch this again and again. I absolutely love Shakespeare and seeing Tennant do him justice...well to be honest it's just damn sexy.
One thing I love about David Tennant is how emotive he is in his acting. he really throws himself into the role, and thats why he was the best new Doctor. ^_^
This raw acting talent is why he's the best Doctor Who of our age. The episode with the French consort touched me deeply. Such a talented and measured actor. Matt Smith is measuring up well tho. He'll need some time to settle in and It's the hardest act to follow IMHO. Good luck to him but Tennant was amazing.
@RobertBerg123 Because at this part of the play Hamlet pretends to be mad, That's why he's barefoot with crazy hair and in a t-shirt with bones on it. Looks quite good IMO ;)
The camerawork really adds another "dimension" to the theater performance. David's great. He's got to be the best actor to ever play the Doctor. It's a shame he was only on for four years, although that's longer than a bunch of the previous Doctors. I'm hoping his "Rex is Not Your Lawyer" show is approved because it sounds like it could be hilarious.
ooooooh.. he's perfect!!! he's brilliant.. such a good actor! and and and... his hair!! =D and his face! =D and the rest xD and the acting!.... =D he's perfect!.... x3
Yes I know that - but with Shakespeare I wouldn't have thought background and stuff would matter. I went to see Romeo & Juliet I think it was either this year, or last year and Juliet was black but the Capulets were white. So you look beyond background and ethnicity sort of thing.
Looks excellent! I really wanted to see this in a theatre but oh, the tickets were sold out! =( Never mind! Although, I'll probably get the DVD or something - cause Hamlet is 3 hours long!! One question: Why didn't they let him use his Scottish accent?
PBS has announced that it will air as a part of "Great Performances" this coming April. Would love to have it on DVD before then, since PBS will break it up repeatedly to beg for cash.
Every other actor - EVERY other actor - even though I have studied Shakespeare at high school & university - *every* other actor it still sounds like a foreign language that I have to translate - *NOT* so with David Tennant - it is clear and concise - I get the EMOTIONAL IMPACT of the words every.single.time
Hello I'm French, I remember studying this piece in french calsses (it's too difficult in english ^^) and seing it on stage. David Tennant is really something. I hope womeone will put the entire thing. Hearing this I bought the binlingual edition of Hamlet so that I could understand what he was saying. You can find the entire monologue on the web though, just look for "Am I a coward? Who calls me villain? breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face? "
I love how David Tennant can portray so much emotion in his acting regardless of the situation, because he is just acting this all out while wearing a tshirt you would find in the children’s section bargain bin at JCPenney
0:02 Cute in a "i-look-like-a-puppy-but-im-looking-into-your-soul" sorta way 0:36 Very Doctor-like jump-y.. thing :D 1:31 Another "i'm-looking right at you" moment that is very.... unnerving... 2:04 His hair looks like pigtails XD 2:09 - 2:23 *dizzy* o.O 2:34 David Tennant: Always running... Just a few of my fav moments all in one video! :D
Wow! Sometimes it's hard to look at the text and really feel the emotion of it, but when it is performed so beautifully the whole thing just comes alive, just as Shakespeare meant it to be seen. :) Heart-stopping.
His t-shirt is hilarious. It's kind of hard for me to take the soliloquy seriously when he's wearing that. Except his performance is pretty brilliant. He does well.
How to make Shakespeare even more interesting and enjoyable than it allready is: Stick David Tennant in there Man I wish I was doing Hamlet in class instead of King Lear
