TORONTO -- Antoni Cimolino had to keep the big screen in mind as he directed one of Shakespeare's signature works for the stage.
The Stratford Festival artistic director helmed last year's production of "Hamlet" with Jonathan Goad in the title role, which was also directed for film by Shelagh O'Brien.
The Ontario-based festival is attempting to film and broadcast the complete works of Shakespeare around the world over the next 10 years, an ambitious undertaking that started last year with productions of "King Lear," "King John," and "Antony and Cleopatra."
"The concern people have is ... 'Will people change their performance because it's being put on camera?"' Cimolino said in a recent interview.
"We've encouraged the actors not to do that, and I think we've fundamentally been proven right that if it works, if it seems true to the live audience ... it will be true to the camera."
Canadians will have the chance to see the finished "Hamlet" production as part of events being held worldwide marking the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death.
The Stratford Festival's theatrical production of "Hamlet" will screen at Cineplex theatres across Canada on Saturday to coincide with the milestone, with select theatres also hosting Q&A sessions. Additional screenings are slated to take place on April 28.
The Stratford production of "The Adventures of Pericles" will screen on May 7 and May 12.
Cimolino felt it was important to mark the milestone of Shakespeare's passing by showcasing a work "so central" to the playwright.
"It is an examination of the whole of his experience, and it's one of his greatest achievements. And in a funny way, Hamlet is his most personal play."
Cimolino said it was decided that stage productions would translate better to the screen if time could be taken to produce them well, rather than broadcasting them live.
"By the time it gets to the screen, it's been very, very, carefully made to work both for the stage and also for a film. And it's really hard to do that when you're just doing it live," he said.
"It's fine for an immediate presentation, but as something you're going to keep and show for the next 30 to 40 years, we wanted to do something more careful."
Beyond the stage and screen, Cimolino said they're also seeking to help educators in supporting their work in teaching Shakespeare to students.
The festival recently unveiled PerformancePlus, an online teaching platform created by its education department in tandem with D2L Corporation. The digital toolkit features video of a live Stratford performance alongside Shakespeare's script and also includes discussion points and lesson plans.
"I think it gives them the chance to see the plays not simply as something written on a page, but something that really is at its fullest when it's on stage and being performed," said Cimolino.
He believes Shakespeare continues to endure because of the relatable themes at the core of his works.
"His stories about kings and queens are really all about families. And the dynamics are the same as we would experience in our own families," Cimolino said.
"He doesn't tell us clearly what to think. He leaves it clearly so that we have to try to understand and make up our own minds. And therefore, in a way, he's not for a time, but of all ages."
