Hamlet
Why see Hamlet?
Shakespeare's great tragedy of a young man haunted by his father's ghost and driven to the edge of madness in his obsession to avenge his death.
David Tennant returns to the RSC to play the title role, directed by RSC Chief Associate Director Gregory Doran.
David last appeared with the RSC as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors in 2000. As well as acting extensively on the stage, most recently in The Pillowman at the National Theatre, David has become a household name as the tenth actor to portray Dr Who.
His other TV and film role include Casanova, Blackpool, Bright Young Things and Barty Crouch Jr in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Patrick Stewart returns to the RSC to play Claudius. He last appeared with the Company to great acclaim during the Complete Works Festival as Antony in Antony and Cleopatra and Prospero in The Tempest.
Key Information
Audience
Hamlet is suitable for audiences aged 12 and upwards.
Dates
Finished 10 Jan 2009
Cast
David Tenant as Hamlet
Patrick Stewart as Claudius
Pennie Downie as Gertrude
Oliver Ford Davies as Polonius
Patrick Stewart as Claudius
Pennie Downie as Gertrude
Oliver Ford Davies as Polonius
Creative
Directed: Gregory Doran
Written: William Shakespeare
Design: Robert Jones
Lighting Design: Tim Mitchell
Music: Paul Englishby
Sound Design: Jeremy Dunn assisted by Martin Slavin
Movement Director: Michael Ashcroft
Fight Director: Terry King
Written: William Shakespeare
Design: Robert Jones
Lighting Design: Tim Mitchell
Music: Paul Englishby
Sound Design: Jeremy Dunn assisted by Martin Slavin
Movement Director: Michael Ashcroft
Fight Director: Terry King
Reviews
Customer reviews
3 reviews, average rating: (4.7 Stars)
KPC
Amazing and intense compression
A taut, tense and engrossing production with outstanding performances from all of the six cast members. Mark Arends is captivating as Hamlet and plays the role eloquently, finding new meaning
and emphasis in the lines . This is high energy, high emotion, physical expressionist theatre of a high order. The intensity always threatens to snap, but it is cleverly paced and contained. There are
some unexpected twists, eg , Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are subsumed into Laertes, and the 'play within the play', is given a completely new life.In the intimate space of Trafalgar Studio 2 the
audience is pulled into this storm twister of grief, poisoned loves, blood and psychosis. High risk, high octane theatre at its incendiary best, this is Hamlet stripped bare to its internal core. Serious
business. ... Read more
Anonymous
Under-powered cast put pressure on His Cumberbatchness
It is disconcerting seeing a Shakespearean drama in the Barbican, where, after all the 'no phones/photos' announcements and signs go out, a high-tech safety curtain opens to reveal an ernormous stage with a fantastic set, ceiling and all.
But I was mystified by the costume choices - somewhere between period/comtemporary/billy-the-butler blue coats and a world war II type warm room chic. Somewhere in there were some great ideas that just got lost.
And then there was the man of the moment - excellent all round I would say - but you could feel that he had to player striker, centre half, winger and goalkeeper for the team to keep it all moving.
Perhaps it was the cavaernous space on stage or just that all eyes were on Hamlet throughout, but it didn't feel like the rest of the cast stepped up to make this the oustanding performance it deserves to be. Shame.
On the plus side the audience were incredibly well behaved - not a phone or camera to be seen! More please! ... Read more
londoner
Pretty good
Some outstanding roles, but Hamlet was a bit too much of a pussy
and lacked conviction regarding his treatment of Ophelia. That
said, this is a tight production well delivered. ... Read more
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