a thoroughly modern man

Hamlet is probably the the most ripe of old chestnuts in the classical theatre world.

Ripe to the point of rot, some would argue.

Let it be known here that I collect Hamlets the way others collect stamps, scars or mini-ponies.

I've seen at least 50 or more productions, with leads ranging from the romantically tortured to the furiously hostile. One even barked.

I've sat through Hamlets and laughed, cried, contemplated, fumed and... slept.

Hamlet is many things to many people; he's like the ultimate Rorschach test for audiences, because he can be whatever we want him to be.

"Everyone has a version they've directed and acted in their heads", notes Ravi Jain, the director of the latest production now playing in Toronto, " They all want to see something very particular."

And so it is that Rain's Theatre WhyNot presents The Prince Hamlet, a multimedia production that employs heavy cuts, physical movement, and avant garde elements to a classical text.

Bold? Yes. Brave? Most certainly.

Jain is making no apologies.

"My work with Theatre de Complicite (a London-based theatre group) revolved around experimentation -it was all about finding a way to create a new language and make new rules.", he explains.

"The attitude was, 'let's have a reverential irreverence' -which is very good to use with Shakespeare. People are too reverent and biblical when it comes to him."

Still, there's always a worry the experimentation will be at the expense of the beauty of the original - that Hamlet will become unrecognizable amidst a sea of preciousness.

"No, the story's really important", says Jain passionately, "We spent so much time trying to understand the mechanics of the language, its tone and rhythm. We tried to get our heads around why things are there, to make sure we really understand it. The cuts are not haphhazard -they're selected for reasons that tell the story."

The respect for story and character stems, interestingly, from the time Jain spent in France with the International Theatre School Jacques LeCoq School, where gesture and movement are emphasized over text, in line with the school's famous founder.

"We spent two years developing our theatre style without any text", Jain says, "even though I had a background in classical theatre."

Jain's decision to tackle one of the Western world's most well-known plays grew directly from his time overseas.

"I thought, why not do something different and unexpected? And if I do it, why not start with the biggest play?"

Still, there's that nagging question of relevance. What could a 500-year old play about a guy who can't make up mind possibly have to say to the 21st century?

"For me it's about more than that. It's about a guy who's trying to understand how to live in his time, how to get to where he has to be in the future, while dealing with the past, wondering, 'do I have to do this today? why am I doing this again?'

"That's a modern message."

The Prince Hamlet runs at the Toronto Dance Theatre until October 21.
For more information, go to www.theatrewhynot.org.