Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
reimagined for young audiences by Jude Christian
Booking and details
Dorfman Theatre
National Theatre
South Bank
London SE1 9PX
Performance times at 11am and 1.30pm
‘To be or not to be…’
Hamlet’s dad is dead. His uncle has taken over the kingdom and married Hamlet’s mum. The whole world feels like it’s turned upside down.
A ghostly encounter reveals a dreadful deed has been done. Should Hamlet take revenge?
‘That is the question.’
Join us for this energetic and engaging retelling of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedy. Suitable for ages 8 – 12.
Performed 20 — 28 March 2023 in the Dorfman Theatre.
Reviews for the 2022 production
★★★★
‘Sharper, spookier storytelling than many a full-fat, four-hour version.’
Financial Times
★★★★
‘Can Shakespeare’s knottiest play work in an hour? Yes.’
The Times
★★★★★
‘Hugely entertaining for kids and adults alike.’
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Cast
Curtis Callier
For the National: Shakespeare for Young Audiences: Hamlet
Adam Clifford
For the National: Shakespeare for Young Audiences: Hamlet
Simeon Desvignes
For the National: Shakespeare for Young Audiences: Hamlet
Ashley Gerlach
For the National Theatre: Coriolanus, Hamlet (young audiences), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth
Kathrine Payne
For the National: Shakespeare for Young Audiences: Hamlet
Claire Redcliffe
For the National Theatre: Shakespeare for Young Audiences: Hamlet
Annabelle Terry
For the National: Shakespeare for Young Audiences: Hamlet
Monique Walker
For the National: Shakespeare for Young Audiences: Hamlet
Production team
Tinuke Craig
Tinuke Trained as a director at LAMDA.
Ellie Hurt
Ellie is a Liverpool-based director who trained on the Directors course as part of the Young Everyman and Playhouse programme.
Jude Christian
Jude Christian is a director, writer, theatremaker and dramaturg.
Frankie Bradshaw
For the National Theatre: Alterations, Dear Octopus, Blues for an Alabama Sky and Shakespeare for young audiences: Hamlet (also on a UK schools tour)
Paul Knott
Paul Knott trained at Central School of Speech and Drama
Dom Coyote
For the National: War Horse on tour 2024/25, Hamlet and The Story Fishers.
Clark Henry-Brown
Sound Designer
Clark Henry-Brown
Jeremy Barlow
For the National: Hamlet, Jekyll and Hyde and Macbeth.
Shane Dempsey
Chloe Blake
Recent National Theatre includes: Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Jekyll and Hyde, Barrier(s), Hamlet for Young Audiences, The Effect and Blues for an Alabama Sky
Naomi Downham
For the National Theatre, as casting director: Alterations, A Tupperware of Ashes, The Grapes of Wrath, Underdog: The Other Other Brontë (also Northern Stage), The House of Bernarda Alba, The Crucible (also West End), The Ocean at the End of the Lane (UK tour), Hamlet (school tour) and Jekyll & Hyde (school tour)
Mandeep Kaur Glover
Mandeep Kaur Glover is a British South Asian Director. Her work, which explores what it means to live in contemporary Britain, is centred around telling stories from under-represented groups and dedicated to reaching audiences who have been traditionally excluded from the arts.
Supporters
The Mohn Westlake Foundation supports nationwide Learning programmes for young people.
The Hearn Foundation is the Principal Funder of the Primary Schools Programme.
Primary Schools Touring is supported by The Mohn Westlake Foundation, The Constance Travis Charitable Trust, The Ingram Trust, The Dorset Foundation – in memory of Harry M Weinrebe, Archie Sherman Charitable Trust, Susan Miller and Byron Grote, The Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust The Anthony and Elizabeth Mellows Charitable Settlement, The Topinambour Trust and The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation.
Nationwide learning is supported by Buffini Chao Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Clore Duffield Foundation, Tim and Sarah Bunting, Behrens Foundation, Cleopatra Trust and Milton Grundy Foundation.
Show image photography by Gavin Li