Discover: Prince of Denmark

Synopsis

In royal Elsinore, the teenage Hamlet, Ophelia and Laertes rage against the roles handed down by their parents. Set a decade before the action in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, this thrilling new play is a terrific first introduction to Shakespeare’s anti-hero. A company of teenage actors drawn from the National Youth Theatre and a technical team from local FE colleges have been paired with experienced NT practitioners to produce this specially-commissioned new play.

Our Review:

Nancy Groves - 24 October 2010

Hamlet was never one of my set texts at school but after watching Prince of Denmark, I wish it had been. Michael Lesslie's superb prequel to Shakespeare's tragedy is the latest offering from the National Theatre's Discover Programme, running at the Cottesloe alongside the Lyttelton's much-feted Hamlet starring Rory Kinnear.

An educational show then, cast from the National Youth Theatre and crewed by students from Lewisham College, but far from a text-book production. The play may be aimed at, and about, teenagers, but Lesslie is wise enough not to patronise his actors or audience. No need to relocate to a gritty urban housing estate. The affections and/or disaffection of Elsinore's adolescents are recognisable enough.

Director Anthony Banks said he wanted an 80% 16th-century, 20% contemporary feel, a ratio reflected in everything from costumes and choreography to script. The faux-Elizabethan language can be breaktakingly eloqu...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

Tim Sanders - 25 October 2010:

Thoughtful, resonant, well staged and beautifully acted. Challenging for my 9 and 6 year olds, but they were engaged nevertheless....

Read more and add your own review