Sam Blythe: Method in My Madness (A One-Man Hamlet)

If there is one Shakespeare you can see at this year’s fringe it is this one. Sam shows he is a master of Shakespeare text & tongue. Hitting us with a cocktail of emotions , I was laughing along with the clowning before feeling chills & goosebumps in the latter end of the play. I really enjoy how we are brought on a journey only through the POV of Hamlet, experiencing and feeling everything when the character does. I would confidently say he is the best Hamlet I’ve ever seen.

As a massive Hamlet fan, I loved seeing this clever one-man version by Sam Blythe in Method in My Madness - and in just 60 minutes!
But even if you don’t think Shakespeare is your thing, you’d absolutely love this show because it’s funny, engaging and super-inventive, presenting the story in a really original way.
Bravo Sam for a brilliant hour of theatre – do not miss this!!

What a show! Delicate, thoughtful and engaging. Sam is a master performer and I loved his version of Hamlet so much. Book tickets before the Fringe is through!

Standing ovation when I visited on Tuesday - great performance, engaging and very accessible at the same time. Go watch!

Absolutely brilliant. So cleverly put together, flipping back and forth from comedy to beautifully performed Shakespeare. Loved it.

A fabulous must-see show! Sam Blythe gives an outstanding performance which is so cleverly delivered, what an incredible actor! Beautiful blend of comedy and raw emotion which draws the audience in, even if you may not be fan of Shakespeare.

An incredible show from Sam Blythe, this piece is engaging, funny, tense, with a clear love for the original text performed in a fresh way.

Excellent show.Sam takes us on a journey through Hamlet in 60mins ! Great experience to see such acting close up .Shakespeare wasn’t like this at school !
One of those Fringe shows that stays with you afterwards
Go see

It is a rare treat to see such a delicate performance in close proximity. Sam's work is expertly crafted and masterfully transitions between the realm of clown into the moments of Shakespeare. The framing of the piece is really interesting and makes for a wonderful hour of entertainment!

5 STARS -- Sam Blythe is a phenomenal Shakespearian actor. And because this is a small venue you get to see him up close and personal. His show is fantastic, original and very engaging. Hopefully someday he'll take the stage at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London.

An excellent, original and imaginative retelling of Hamlet. The performer has immense stage presence and a beautiful grasp of Shakespearean text. I normally wouldn't choose to watch a classical piece at the fringe but this show was recommended to me and it didn't disappointed. Clever and accessible regardless of your knowledge of Shakespeare/Hamlet. I hope it transfers to London post festival as it thoroughly deserves another run.

If you like Hamlet you’ll like this! Sam is clear and emotionally truthful, doing the whole journey in one hour. Skilled and experienced actor doing Shakespeare well!

Sam is such a wonderful performer. In the quietness he draws you in, in the t CT he makes you feel safe and carries you along with his silky tones. A wonderful showcase of Shakespearian acting with clowning and mime, artistic, sensual and innovative. Please go see him!

This show was brilliant. Sam is an amazing physical performer and incredible actor. A deeply engrossing hour!

The combination of clowning with Hamlet is brilliant. It adds so much depth to an already rich text and leaves the audience more heartbroken than what was thought possible. Sam is gripping as he embodies sorrow, discovery, and physical comedy. I was completely riveted.

Edinburgh Fringe: This is what you came for. A gorgeous bit of Fringe theatre.
Blythe’s performance is mesmerizing. His portrayal of Hamlet is both beautiful and powerful, using deft physicality to bring the play to life. The show rips through the text within an hour, interspersing it with the clever device of a possessed clown nose. This gives a nice depth, and allows moment to absorb the scenes it intersperses while providing a bit of a wry comment on them. The Hamlet elements are straight theatre, the buffoonery more interludes between scenes. They work together beautifully. True Fringe.

I cannot recommend this show highly enough. It's a fascinating, insightful and moving deep dive into one of Shakespeare's greatest plays, but which sheds light on a character sometimes seen as impentrable by focusing acutely on Hamlet's specific experience through the play. There were moments I've never fully comprehended before, such as Hamlet's disdain for his uncle Claudius's revels, whilst he himself is still in mourning for his father's death. Sam is a consummate actor and a brilliant clown. I've rarely seen the part performed with such a dextorous mix of bare naturalism and bombastic non-naturalism. And the red nose! An absolute must see.

I loved this show it really is a must see. Sam is such an engaging performer, expertly blurring the lines between genres.

An absolute stunner! A reverent and brightly haunting reshaping of a classic with a much needed shake up. Brilliantly performed with such a potent acuity and playfulness. Equal parts tragedy and lightheartedness that really made an hour well spent. Highly recommend. GO SEE! GO SEE! GO SEE!

Loved this! An efficient cut of Hamlet that packs all the good stuff into a pacy hour. Blythe matches his resonant, meaning-filled line readings with superb moments of mime and physical theatre. The first 5 minutes alone are worth the price of admission, but the play within a play and all the red nose tricks are also highlights. Recommended!