HAMLET

The ultimate play about loyalty, love, betrayal, murder and madness

  • By William Shakespeare
  • 11 September 2014 - 25 October 2014
  • The Theatre

Hamlet's father is dead and Denmark has crowned a new king. Consumed by grief Hamlet struggles to exact revenge with devastating consequences.

HAMLET is Shakespeare’s most iconic work. Exploding with big ideas it is the ultimate play about loyalty, love, betrayal, murder and madness. Every Hamlet is defined by the actor. In this stripped back, fresh and fast-paced version, Maxine Peake creates a Hamlet for now, a Hamlet for Manchester.

Maxine is reunited with director Sarah Frankcom following the huge success of THE MASQUE OF ANARCHY for the Manchester International Festival 2013, and her performance as MISS JULIE at the Royal Exchange in 2012. Her many TV credits include SILK, THE VILLAGE, RED RIDING and Myra Hindley in SEE NO EVIL. She was most recently BAFTA nominated for her performance THE VILLAGE. She will be joining the Company as an Associate Artist this Autumn.

“Maxine started her acting career in our youth theatre. Her performances have thrilled our audiences and the Royal Exchange is her local theatre. HAMLET is a massively exciting challenge for any actor and director. I am certain Maxine will be a compelling and extraordinary Hamlet for our time.”
Sarah Frankcom, Director

This text of Hamlet was created for the 2009 production starring Jude Law and directed by Michael Grandage which played London and New York.

The cast also includes...

Child Players: James Allen, Mya Diamonds, Khari Eubanks, Jeziel Hercules, Oscar Joyce-O’Keeffe, Evie Latham, James Prentice, Lara Procter, Imani Randall-Morgan, Jacob Richards, Lily-Blossom Tait, Bella Woodcock. 

Young Players: Liam Arrowsmith, Abigale Bartley, Matt Boylan, Mekisha Brown, Tom Durrant, Roisin Howells, Natasha Hylton, Leyla Percival, Jason Ricketts.

  • Event Information

  • PERFORMANCE TIMES
    Monday – Saturday evenings: 7:30pm / Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday matinees: 2:30pm 

    TICKET PRICES
    Standard tickets from £15.00 / Banquette tickets: £10. Full details [link to ticket prices page]

    RUNNING TIME
    3 hours 20 minutes (which includes 1 interval of 20 minutes)

    AGE GUIDANCE
    10+

    BOX OFFICE
    0161 833 9833

  • Creative Team

  • DIRECTOR Sarah Frankcom

    DESIGNER Amanda Stoodley

    LIGHTING Lee Curran

    SOUND Peter Rice

    COMPOSER Alex Baranowski

    MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Imogen Knight

    FIGHTS Kevin McCurdy

    VOICE & TEXT COACH Assistant Director

    ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Bryony Shanahan

  • Related Events

  • AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION
    Wednesday 8 October after 7:30pm performance. Free - no booking needed.

    BACK STAGE TOUR
    Wednesday 17 September, 11:00am. Tickets £5. More information and book tickets.

    BETWEEN THE LINES 
    Play-reading and discussion group. For everyone over 18. Come along and read, discuss or just listen. Wednesday 24 September, 11:00am - 1:00pm. Tickets £6. Book on 0161 833 9833.

    BEHIND THE SCENES
    Pre-show introduction to the play and production. For all ages. Tuesday 1 October and Wednesday 8 October, 10:30am - 12 noon. Tickets £6/£4 concessions. Book on 0161 615 6702.

    CLOSE UP
    Dave Haslam in conversation with Maxine Peake. Sunday 28 September, 5:00pm - 6:30pm. Tickets £10 / £8. Book on 0161 833 9833.

    THE FEMALE HAMLET
    A panel discussion with director Sarah Frankcom alongside leading theatre academics Tony Howard (author of Women as Hamlet; Performance and Interpratation in Theatre, Film and Fiction), and Maggie Gale, Chair in Drama at the University of Manchester. Saturday 4 October, 12 noon - 1:00pm. Free but ticketed. Book on 0161 833 9833. 

    HAMLET UNDRESSED
    BBC Radio 4 take a look behind the scenes of HAMLET with Maxine Peake. Monday 13 October, 11.00am. Listen here.  

  • Accessible Performances

  • AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE
    Saturday 11 October, 2:30pm

    BSL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE
    Tuesday 14 October, 7:30pm

    CAPTIONED PERFORMANCE
    Thursday 9 October, 7:30pm

    More information about our accessible performances

  • Horatio

    Thomas Arnold

    Player King / Marcella

    Claire Benedict

    Polonia

    Gillian Bevan

    First Gravedigger

    Michelle Butterly

    Lucianus

    Dean Gregory

    Reynaldo/ Priest/ Francisco

    Tachia Newall

    Gertrude

    Barbara Marten

    Rosencrantz/ Second Gravedigger

    Jodie McNee

    Hamlet

    Maxine Peake

    Claudius/ Ghost

    John Shrapnel

    Guildenstern

    Peter Singh

    Osric/ Second Player/ Barnardo

    Ben Stott

    Ophelia

    Katie West

    Laertes

    Ashley Zhangazha

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