Kermode & Mayo’s Take

MELANIA: “A piece of handsomely mounted crypto‑fascist propaganda” + Riz Ahmed

Feb 5, 2026
Riz Ahmed, British actor, rapper and producer, discusses his bold reinvention of Hamlet. He talks about bringing Shakespeare’s music and rhythm into rap, relocating the story to a British South Asian property‑development setting, and reimagining key scenes like 'to be or not to be' as high‑stakes modern confrontations.
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INSIGHT

Documentary Ends As Political Promo

  • Mark Kermode argues the film culminates in a MAGA promotional reel likened to Triumph of the Will.
  • He condemns the juxtaposition of optimistic rhetoric with documented harms under the administration.
ANECDOTE

Teenage Discovery Sparked The Project

  • Riz Ahmed recounts being given Hamlet at school by his teacher Chris Roseblade and instantly relating to Hamlet's outsider feelings.
  • That teenage connection motivated his decades‑long desire to reinterpret the play.
INSIGHT

Shakespeare As Rhythmic Performance

  • Riz Ahmed links Shakespeare's performance rhythm to rap and spoken word, seeing the text as musical and performative.
  • He prioritised visceral delivery and bodily rhythm over intellectual recital.
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