4.5 stars.

This may be one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. The writing is incredibly clever and I love the witty moments peppered throughout. There are a lot of wonderful quotes and moral lessons that make the story well rounded, but it also has a lot going on so that the story stays interesting from beginning to end. Sometimes plays have a tendency to leave their characters fairly flat, but Hamlet produces a play with a whole cast of dynamic characters developed through spoken lines.

I listened to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's production of the play and it was wonderfully done. There were some fabulous actors and great sound effects that made the play come to life. If you're going to listen, I definitely recommend this version.