A Hamlet like no other…
Presented as part of National Canadian Film Day, Thog’s Hamlet is a rare chance to encounter an extraordinary piece of Toronto theatre history. Originally created in 1971 by Steven Bush and a young ensemble of performers, this radical reimagining of Hamlet featured 2 Hamlets, 2 Ophelias, and many Ghosts. Youth-driven, politically alert, and formally unconventional, it was captured on the fly by the “free camera” of Richard Leiterman under René Bonnière’s direction.
The film stands as both a remarkable screen work and a rare record of a singular theatrical experiment. Its creative team included Steven Bush as director and chief instigator of the stage project, George Koumantaros as composer, co-director, and musical director; Jim Bearden as co-director and coach; David MacMillan on sound recording; Rod Crawley as assistant editor; Victor Klassen as assistant director; and Canadian film producer F.R. “Budge” Crawley.
The cast included Richard McKenna and Tove Shere as the two Hamlets, Linda Butler and Jan Kudelka as the two Ophelias, along with Steven Bush, Jim Bearden, Dan Hennessey, Bryan Eaton, Leon Stephens, Becke Keller, and others drawn from a communal group of teens and twenty-somethings. The production’s energy and experimental spirit remain vividly present in the film.
Thog’s Hamlet emerged at a moment of major political, social, and artistic change. In 1971, Canada was still in the afterglow of Expo 67 while also confronting Quebec sovereignty tensions, the War Measures Act, anti-Vietnam War protests, and the growing visibility of Black Power, Red Power, and feminism. Experimental theatre, new music, and radical new ways of thinking were reshaping cultural life, and Thog’s Hamlet grew from that atmosphere of creativity, experimentation, and transformation.
The screening will be followed by a conversation and Q&A with Linda Butler and Steven Bush, members of the original creative team.
Location: Canada’s Theatre Museum at The Elgin & Winter Garden Theatres 189 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M5B 1M4
Duration: Approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission and post-screening Q&A.
Many thanks to our partner at REEL CANADA.
Free admission. Space is limited, please RSVP here to reserve your spot.
