Is John Simm Daunted by Hamlet Forebears???

John Simm has admitted he is “terrified” about becoming the latest big-name Hamlet at the Sheffield Crucible next year (See News, 11 Dec 2009), despite the fact he didn’t see either of his famous forebears, David Tennant and Jude Law, in the role.

“I didn’t really think about the fact that David and Jude had done it,” Simm told the BBC recently. “I didn’t see either of them because I was working, so that’s probably a good thing. It’ll be a totally different one for sure.”

The Life On Mars star, who has regularly starred opposite Tennant in Doctor Who, said he had received a congratulatory text from his co-star when his casting as Hamlet was announced: “I said to David tips would be greatly received. I’m sure I’ll be alright … We’re still in meetings talking about how we’re going to do it, we’ve got a couple of ideas. Hopefully it’s going to get cut, and we won’t be doing the four-hour version.”

The production, which will reunite Simm with Elling director Paul Miller, opens at Sheffield Crucible in September 2010. Around the same time, Rory Kinnear will also give us his Hamlet, with the long-planned National Theatre production, directed by NT artistic director Nicholas Hytner (See News, 22 Sep 2008).