Hamlet
Dishevelled, vulnerable, dangerous, even in quiet moments this Hamlet compels.
Libby Purves
Why see Hamlet?
MICHAEL SHEEN PLAYS HAMLET IN THE THEATRICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
After worldwide acclaim in The Queen, Frost/Nixon andThe Damned United, Michael Sheen returns to the London stage in the most anticipated performance of his career.
Ian Rickson, a director at the top of his game after his multi-award-winning Jerusalem, gives us his view of Shakespeare's great tragedy.
Cast
Michael Sheen as Hamlet
Adeel Akhtar as Guildenstern/Francisco
Hayley Carmichael as Horatio
James Clyde as Claudius
Sally Dexter as Gertrude
Callum Dixon as Marcellus
Pip Donaghy as Barnardo
Michael Gould as Polonius
Vinette Robinson as Ophelia
Eileen Walsh as Rosencrantz
Benedict Wong as Laertes
Creative
Director: Ian Rickson
Design: Jeremy Herbert
Costume: Nicky Gillibrand
Light: Adam Silverman
Sound: Gareth Fry
Music: Stephen Warbeck
Design: Jeremy Herbert
Costume: Nicky Gillibrand
Light: Adam Silverman
Sound: Gareth Fry
Music: Stephen Warbeck
Reviews
Customer reviews
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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