Tennant\’s Hamlet Sells Out Within Hours???

Fans were queuing round the block at the Novello theatre this morning (12 September) to get their hands on tickets to see David Tennant in the West End transfer of the RSC’s production of Hamlet. Tickets only went on sale today but the entire run, which opens on 9 December (previews from 3 December) and closes on 10 January 2009, has already sold out. Tickets are selling on Ebay for up to £500 a pair. Rumour has it that despite the news of the sell out there was still a sizeable queue of hopeful fans late this afternoon.

The production originally opened on 5 August at Statford-upon-Avon’s Courtyard Theatre where it will run until 15 November before its transfer to the West End for a limited Christmas season. The Stratford season is long sold out (See News, 5 Aug 2008) – with queues forming daily (starting the night before) for returns and a limited number of ten £5 tickets held back for under-25s. The London dates have been on sale to RSC members since 16 June, but public booking began at 10.00am this morning and caused a frenzy at the box office.

Gregory Doran’s wildly anticipated Royal Shakespeare Company production of the tragedy stars Tennant as the Prince and Patrick Stewart, following his Tony-nominated Broadway turn in Macbeth, as the Ghost and Claudius. Prior to their screen successes, Tennant and Stewart had both racked up myriad RSC and other stage credits. They’re joined in the cast by Penny Downie (as Gertrude), Oliver Ford Davies (Polonius), Peter de Jersey (Horatio), Edward Bennett (Laertes), John Woodvine (the Player King) and Mariah Gale (Ophelia).