Hamlet extends four weeks to 28 Aug 2004

Hamlet extends four weeks to 28 Aug 2004

Hamlet , directed by Trevor Nunn, has been extended by four weeks to 28 Aug 2004 at the Old Vic Theatre.

The play opened on 27 April 2004, following previews from 17 April, to superb notices from the popular press, with particularly good notices for Ben Wishaw as 'Hamlet': NICHOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "No Hamlet has made a more powerful or emotional impact..." MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "There are many things to recommend in Nunn's production." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Whishaw...presents the most raw and vulnerable Hamlet I have ever seen.....This old, and perhaps over familiar, play suddenly seems wonderfully fresh, urgent and young again." IAN JOHNS for THE TIMES says, "This production is like Whishaw's performance, bursting with familial grief but lacking the essential nobility to make it truly tragic." ALASTAIR MACAULAY for THE FINANCIAL TIMES says, "Ben Whishaw ...an electrifying performance."

Al Weaver plays Hamlet on all Monday evenings and all matinees!

The cast also includes: Samantha Whittaker (Ophelia), , Imogen Stubbs (Gertrude), Lewis Barfoot, Edward Hughes (Guildernstern), Nick Jones (Polonius), Rory Kinnear (Laertes), Jack Laskey, Sid Livingstone (Voltimand), Tom Mannion (Claudius and The Ghost of the King), Tom Mison (Fortinbras), Samuel Roukin (Osric), James Simmons (Marcellus), Kevin Wathen (Rosencrantz),

It is designed by John Gunter, with costumes by Mark Bouman, lighting by David Hersey. The production will have original music composed by Steve Edif. The play is produced by Old Vic Productions plc, Ron Kastner and Background.

This new production takes a fresh look at the play through contemporary eyes. Nunn has gathered an ensemble of the best of the country's young acting talent in order to do so; he says, "Something extraordinary happens when the characters who are students in Shakespeare's story are being played by people of student age".