By Thom deMartino/Orange County Grandstand

From the once implacable darkness the creeping melancholic tones of an indigo sky stir – throwing themselves upon the uneasy scene below, unfolding beneath the spectral countenance of a broken crown: as a seemingly unmoored prince weighs the irrevocable cost of revenge… against nothingness.

A powerful, modern, minimalist retelling of one of William Shakespeare’s most popular works, “Hamlet” at the Golden West College Mainstage Theater in Huntington Beach envisions the existentially conflicted Danish prince in a current setting, sporting a post-Grunge aesthetic and delivering an electrifying performance.

The Tom Amen-directed production opens with Hamlet’s uncle – now father-in-law and king – Claudius (a wonderfully oily portrayal of Lawrence Hemingway) discussing the state of the kingdom with his wife Gertrude (Carrie Vinikow) while Sullen, brooding Hamlet (Amanda Zarr) simmers his mother’s abrupt marriage to his uncle so soon after his father’s death…and the suspicious feeling that there’s more to his sudden death.

As the Queen struggles to keep the peace between her brooding son and his former brother-in-law, the Prince’s demeanor brightens when he is surprised by the arrival of his old friend and confidant Horatio (Patrick Peterson). Explaining to Hamlet how he’s been in town since the funeral, Horatio blurts out that the previous night he saw a ghostly face in the castle – one taking the form of the fallen king. When the bereaved prince insists on facing the specter, only then do his fears truly come true, as he learns from the ghost the dark truth of his father’s untimely demise.

Swearing Horatio to secrecy, Hamlet chooses to rid himself of suspicion of his own investigations and schemes by fooling around and acting as if he’s lost touch with reality…even though, as the story progresses, audiences would be forgiven for wondering if some of this feigned madness could be more than just an act.

Meanwhile, the king’s senior adviser, Polonius (the ever-mercurial Scott Keister) awaits the return of his son Laertes (Tristan Lund) from abroad, as he acts as armchair therapist for the royal couple: theorizing that Hamlet’s wildly unpredictable moods are due to an infatuation with his own beautiful daughter Ophelia (a bewitching and soulful Marisa Schlichtman.) But while the young prince may indeed truly adore her, it’s this overwhelming inner conflict in him – between his obligation to avenge his father and ward off that sheer desperation, uselessness and absurdity of life that tint and darken the edges of his thoughts – that eclipse everything else.

The stage is set: the dice are cast; all the pieces are in place. And it is the choices of a troubled and driven young man that will inexorably alter all of their destinies, forever.

While the original play is William Shakespeare’s longest play, the Golden West College production trimmed it to a svelte two hours; and while audiences in his works can often be challenged, even intimidated by Elizabethan English, the actors’ multi-layered performances amply clarify the context and position of each character at any given moment.

Hemingway’s Claudius is more than just a two-dimensional villain: while he oozes the insincerity of a disreputable used-car salesman, he has moments of self-doubt and remorse that – however briefly – make him seem almost redeemable: and times when he seems almost as concerned as Gertrude for her son’s well-being…almost.

Carrie Vinikow’s queen is not so much absent as she is trapped by her situation and the cultural customs of the time…worst of all, despite her desperation, she has no idea how to reach her son – even if she tries. One could easily compare it to the contemporary struggle of parents trying to find a way to understand and understand a difficult and complicated child.

It’s a phenomenal work from the whole ensemble: Peterson’s unfailing and likeable Horatio; to the enraged and determined Laertes of Lund; to the tender yet protective, paternal Polonius of Keister, and his genuine, warm interaction with his devoted (if willful) daughter Ophelia (whose arc is beautifully and heartbreakingly portrayed by Schlichtman.)

But it’s Amanda Zarr’s Hamlet that sets the world on fire.

Some may wonder if this is a “gender-switchable” version of the tale: it’s not. It’s that same archetypal story of revenge, betrayal and tragedy, embodied by some of Southern California’s finest local actors, regardless of gender: and the sheer gravity of Zarr’s performance as the tormented prince is both gritty, wacky, intoxicating and sublime. It’s a measured, haunting portrayal of a troubled young man in impossible circumstances, resolute in his reckless pursuit of justice and nearly oblivious to the collateral damage wrought in his wake…and so nihilistic he can’t care. – not even be.

A tight, taut rendition of one of history’s most lauded plays, “Hamlet” at Golden West College is one of its finest productions in recent years, from an already celebrated college theater company. There are only three performances left of this visionary rendition, so it’s time to catch this must-see show before it resigns itself to obscurity once again.

“Hamlet.” Amanda Zarr, Marisa Schlichtman and Lawrence Hemingway star in this modern take on the classic tragedy that’s as relevant and timely today as it was nearly 500 years ago. Through Sunday, March 13 at the Golden West College Mainstage Theater, 15751 Gothard St, Huntington Beach, CA 92647. Tickets available at the box office at 714-895-8150, x1 or at www.gwctheater.com.