Hamnet

Our childrens hearts beat, they smile, play. Never forget for a moment, they may be gone. - *Joan / Justin Mitchell* Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be - *Ophelia, in Hamlet (Act 4, Scene 5)* What a beautiful and tragic masterpiece. I write this having left the screen a little while ago and I am sat on the Curzon sofa on the verge of tears from that beautiful ending. Once the credits rolled, not a single person in my completely booked out screening moved, not even standing up, for around 2 minutes. Just a room of two hundred people, deeply moved by a piece of art and sitting with the potent feelings evoked. I haven't been so touched by a feeling of art bringing about community in a long while. I can't believe the extent to which each emotion was felt as a viewer. The performances were exceptional, beautiful, and harrowing. The wonderful score and direction exemplified these and gosh do you just feel them in your soul. There is one scene here where some camera shake and sub-bass made me feel like there might actually be an earthquake in the middle of Oxford, or else my heart might be breaking out of its cage. If Jessie Buckley doesn't win all the best actress awards I will revolt, I don't care that it is early in the year. Perfect - 10/10