Once again, Hamlet is going to be the talk of the theatrical summer. Two years ago, Benedict Cumberbatch galvanised the town with a brooding, thoughtful prince at the Barbican in a slightly over-staged production of looming spectacle from designer Es Devlin and director Lyndsey Turner that was seen at the Barbican. Read more
A new revival of Shakespeare's classic tragedy Hamlet, adapted and directed by Robert Icke, starring Andrew Scott as the Danish Prince. The show transferred to the West End's Harold Pinter Theatre from 9 June 2017.
'Sherlock' star Andrew Scott is the latest actor to take on the challenging role of Hamlet in a brand new production of Shakespeare's classic play. The Irish film, TV and stage actor is no stranger to the West End following recent roles in The Dazzle at Found111, Birdland at the Royal Court Theatre and Design for Living at the Old Vic Theatre. He received an Olivier Award for his work on A Girl in a Car with a Man at the Royal Court Theatre for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. He made his New York stage debut in The Vertical Hour at the Music Box Theatre directed by Sam Mendes. He is most well known as Sherlock Holmes' nemesis Moriarty in the BBC drama series Sherlock and in 2015 starred in the James Bond film Spectre, as villain Max Denbigh.
Director Robert Icke is the Associate Director of the Almeida. His adaptation credits include Mary Stuart; Uncle Vanya; Oresteia (also West End); and, with Duncan Macmillan, 1984 (also West End, National and International Tours). As director: The Fever; Mr Burns; The Odyssey; The Iliad. Other Theatre includes: The Red Barn (National Theatre); Boys; Romeo and Juliet; Decade (Headlong).
The full cast for Hamlet include Barry Aird, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Marty Cruickshank, Calum Finlay, Joshua Higgott, Amaka Okafor, Daniel Rabin, David Rintoul, Andrew Scott, Juliet Stevenson, Luke Thompson, Peter Wight, Angus Wright and Matthew Wynn.
Directed by Robert Icke it features set and costume design by Hildegard Bechtler with lighting design by Natasha Chivers, sound by Tom Gibbons and video by Tal Yarden.
Hamlet Synopsis
The play opens with Prince Hamlet, depressed, returning to Denmark from Germany to attend his father's funeral. He is shocked to learn that his mother Gertrude has already remarried, his father's brother Claudius who has crowned himself king despite Hamlet being heir to the throne. The ghost of Hamlet's father visits Elsinore castle, unable to rest in peace and tells Hamlet that he was killed by Claudius and asks him to avenge his fate, sparing the life of Gertrude.
The news alters Hamlet's mental state and he draws together a test to see if this news is true. After he observes his uncle watching a play and reacting to scenes of murder he becomes convinced that the treachery is true and commits himself to righting the wrong.