But Never Doubt I Love is a one-woman show compiled by double-degree fifth-year Marina Wright, pictured above, who has performed in various campus productions and has wanted to direct a show of her own since her second year. Her years of experience are truly brought to the fore with this phenomenal 30-minute act that adapts Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Wright successfully brings the entire project together with a compelling and enjoyable performance, especially highlighted by the liveliness of the show’s musical aspects. 

Wright’s adaptation places the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia at the center of the narrative, allowing other elements of the original to function as subplots. 

“One of the reasons I looked into it is because for a project, I was given Hamlet, and one of the problematic aspects of him, I think, is how he treats the women in his life,” Wright said. “I wanted to explore his relationship with Ophelia, especially because he doesn’t treat her very well, and I was curious why.”

The show shines particularly in how it embraces anachronisms, essentially reinventing the complex nature of Hamlet in a more modern, streamlined fashion. From the moment “Paint It Black” by the Rolling Stones fills the Cat in the Cream, the performance revels in being as far from a conventional Shakespeare play as possible.

Despite all that distinguishes this play, the core idea is still rooted in the rich source material, focusing on the nature of Shakespearean characterization. 

“The play interests me a lot too because [with] Lady Macbeth, you see the whole transition,” Wright said, thinking about the story beyond the text. “But Hamlet, you see him in the midst of emotional turmoil, but who was he beforehand?”

But Never Doubt I Love examines the psychology behind Shakespeare’s canonical character, to which Wright confidently adds her interpretation of the context surrounding him. It is a brave endeavor indeed, and one executed with quality, grit, and a true Obie twist.