To be or not to be? Shakespeare women answer the question

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, and the women of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” take center stage to tell their own stories in “A Room in the Castle,” a retelling of the Bard’s famous play that opened Friday at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts in Langley.

The run at WICA is the play’s West Coast premiere. Playwright Lauren Gunderson’s powerful storytelling has been represented on Michael Nutt Mainstage before, with her plays “Justice” in 2024 and “The Revolutionists” in 2021. In a press release, Gunderson said she is grateful to be back on Whidbey.

The production’s small but mighty cast packs a punch, with Marta Mulholland as Queen Gertrude, Valerie Anne Huntington as Ophelia and Jessica Robins (J. Rob) as Anna, a lady’s maid who did not originally have a role in “Hamlet.” Audience members may already be familiar with Gertrude, the mother of Hamlet, and Ophelia, his lover who is found to have drowned.

Rose Woods, who directed Gunderson’s two other plays at WICA, returned to direct “A Room in the Castle.”

“In our collaborations with Rose, we’ve brought strong female voices to the stage that represent a wide array of life experiences and time periods — from the French Revolution to the United States Supreme Court,” WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan said in a press release. “Now we have the opportunity to revisit one of history’s greatest plays through a different lens, leaving us with a new appreciation for the unheard voices of the women in ‘Hamlet.’”

Woods said Gunderson’s characters grapple with the heavy weight of societal expectations, illustrating how history and power dynamics shape women’s identities.

“The winds and echoes of the original ‘Hamlet’ remind us of the struggles for power and agency, yet here, the focus shifts to the women who inhabit shadows: their desires, their heartbreaks and their triumphs,” Woods said.

According to actor Robins, the biggest challenge was holding space for a 500-year-old story in addition to the modern retelling being presented, while simultaneously crafting a complete theater experience that will be accessible for audience members who may be wholly unfamiliar with “Hamlet.”

“You really do have to think of all three at the same time in order to reach every person in the house,” they said. “It’s a very difficult needle to thread, but so rewarding.”

“A Room in the Castle” is part of WICA’s New Works Festival in June, which showcases recent plays as well as first glimpses, staged readings and behind-the-scenes moments.

Alas, thou must hasten, because the play only runs until June 29 at WICA. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Ticket prices vary, depending on the type. Visit wicaonline.org for more details.

Another run of “A Room in the Castle” was previously planned for the Story House Stage at the Whidbey Institute starting in July, but the Clinton venue had to cancel because of some construction on the land.

Photo courtesy of Whidbey Island Center for the Arts The small, three-person cast of “A Room in the Castle” packs a big punch. From left, Jessica Robins (J. Rob) as Anna, Valerie Anne Huntington as Ophelia and Marta Mulholland as Gertrude.

Photo courtesy of Whidbey Island Center for the Arts Ophelia (Valerie Anne Huntington) shares a joyous conversation with Anna (Jessica Robins/J. Rob).

Photo courtesy of Whidbey Island Center for the Arts Anna the lady’s maid embraces a distraught Ophelia. Anna is a new character not previously included in “Hamlet.”