THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK

William Shakespeare is the most famous playwright in the history of the English language and many believe Hamlet is his greatest play.

Shakespeare’s plays can be (roughly) split into tragedies, comedies and histories. Hamlet is a tragedy, so expect plenty of death, murder and bad choices.

Hamlet was first published in 1603 – the same year King James I succeeded to the throne after the death of his cousin Queen Elizabeth I – and reflects contemporary anxieties about the succession.

The plot? Hamlet seeks vengeance on his uncle Claudius for killing his father and stealing the throne. In three words? Revenge! Corruption! Madness!

WHO’S WHO? FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FOES

The central character is Hamlet – the young Prince of Denmark who is prone to melancholy, indecision and a whole lot of thinking. His best friend is the more stable and rational Horatio.

Hamlet is a play about complicated families. After the death of his father – who returns as the Ghost – Hamlet is dismayed when his mother Gertrude marries his uncle Claudius, who succeeds to the throne as the King of Denmark.

Finally, we have Hamlet’s love interest Ophelia – the daughter of suck-up royal attendant Polonius and sister of hot-headed Laertes.

Of course, there are other characters, but these are the major players.

WHAT HAPPENS? THE BASICS – NO SPOILERS

The play opens with the ghost of the dead King, who implores Hamlet to seek revenge for his murder by killing his uncle Claudius.

Hamlet decides to feign madness while investigating Claudius. He stages a play depicting the murder of his father (a famous example of a ‘play within a play’) and Claudius storms out, proving his guilt in Hamlet’s eyes.

But Hamlet’s act of madness has far-reaching consequences – for his family, his lover Ophelia and even his own mind.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? THE ENDING – SPOILERS

Skip this section if you like your Shakespeare with a few surprises!

Polonius is sent to spy on an increasingly erratic Hamlet, who stabs him, thinking he is Claudius. Ophelia drowns herself with grief for her father and Hamlet’s love.

Claudius convinces Laertes to avenge his sister’s death by killing Hamlet. He makes two plans: challenge Hamlet to a duel and poison his wine. However, Gertrude drinks the wine and dies. Hamlet and Laertes fight and are both fatally wounded. Hamlet kills Claudius before succumbing to his injuries.

Essentially: everybody dies except poor Horatio, who is left to tell the sorry tale!

HAMLET ON STAGE

Hamlet was first performed in the early 1600s at London’s Globe Theatre – home of Shakespeare’s company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

Since then, Hamlet has been performed countless times across the globe. From traditional productions to unconventional interpretations – see Tom Stoppard’s 15-minute play or Jingju Opera Company’s Peking Opera version – the story of Hamlet never gets old.

Famous Hamlets include David Garrick in the eighteenth century, John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh in the twentieth, and David Tennant and Maxine Peake in the twenty-first. Sarah Bernhardt was the first known woman to assume the role in Paris 1899 and Sir Ian McKellen the oldest in 2021 at age 82.

BEYOND THE STAGE: ART, LITERATURE AND FILM

Hamlet is a key text in the literary ‘canon’ and has inspired countless writers since its publication. Contemporary responses include Margaret Atwood’s short story Gertrude Talks Back (1994), John Updike’s Gertrude and Claudius (2000) and Ian McEwan’s Nutshell (2016), which tells the story from the point of view of a foetus!

The most famous depiction of Hamlet in art is John Everett Millais’s Ophelia (1851-2) – a gorgeous, Pre-Raphaelite painting of Ophelia drowning amongst the flowers in the river.

On screen, Hamlet has been played by stars ranging from Laurence Olivier to Ethan Hawke. The play has influenced an encyclopaedia of popular films and TV including The Simpsons, Lion King, Star Trek and Star Wars.

WE GET IT: HAMLET IS VERY POPULAR. BUT WHY?

Hamlet speaks to universal themes and emotions: uncertainty, loss, jealousy, grief (the list goes on). This invites several readings, which audiences and academics alike have wrestled with since publication. Hamlet is at once a play about family dynamics, politics, gender and psychoanalysis.

Just as Hamlet is haunted by the ghost of his father, actors are haunted by the role of Hamlet and its tradition on the stage. Many see Hamlet as a pinnacle role in their career.

Hamlet remains one of the most quoted plays in history – if you know one thing about the play, it’s likely to be the famous line “To be, or not to be, that is the question”. This is, in part, because the soliloquies and speeches show Shakespeare at his very best.

HAMLET X RADIOHEAD: MUSIC, SURVEILLANCE, PARANOIA

In Hamlet Hail to the Thief, Shakespeare’s great tragedy and Radiohead’s seminal album collide for a feverish experience that fuses theatre, music, and movement. Coming in 2025, the play focuses on themes of surveillance, paranoia and on Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia.

Hamlet has inspired musicians ranging from Tchaikovsky to Elton John. What will Thom Yorke and celebrated directors Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones bring to the play? You’ll find out! But one thing is certain: Hamlet Hail to the Thief joins a history of innovative adaptations that prove Hamlet is here to stay.

Hamlet Hail to the Thief runs at Aviva Studios from 27 April to 18 May 2025. Find out more information here.