HAMLET… The play that everyone thinks they know

A man sees a ghost and then gets depressed. Someone gets stabbed behind a curtain. There’s a skull called Yorick. It’s all a bit confusing. And it’s long, very long.

Under the guise of their new company Regeneration Theatre, writer/director Fiona Laird and actor Mark Lockyer have created a completely new take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This ground-breaking production takes all the various versions of Shakespeare’s text and condenses them into a clear and dramatic 90 minutes. The whole play is performed by one actor.

This one-person telling of the tragic story of a young man in deep grief, tormented by the treachery of his family and friends and isolated from everyone around him, is informed by the creatives’ real-life experience of the savagery that mental illness can unleash. But this is a one-man show that is about the play, not the actor.

Rufus Norris, Artistic Director, Royal National Theatre:

“This production is extraordinary. It leaves the watcher utterly spellbound. I cannot remember receiving Hamlet with more open ears and more abandon, such is Mark’s absolute commitment to, and mastery of, this timeless classic.”

William Shakespeare as portrayed by Tim Curry in the ATV drama series for ITV in 1978

Seen through the prism of a single performer the play takes on a new life and intensity. The tragic events unfold. Hamlet is powerless against the tide of selfishness and injustice, and loses his grip on reality.

Despite the grim melancholy of the questions it poses, this version of Hamlet is a message of hope and regeneration, and rests firmly on the belief that there is a way back from the darkest places.

“Mark’s own experiences have given him exceptional insight into the nature and impact of mental illness. His ability to perform the many different roles solo means that more than ever we identify with the characters on stage. This performance truly has something for everyone.” – Dr. James Anderson, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist (retired)

Hamlet
In a new version by Fiona Laird, performed by Mark Lockyer
New Diorama Theatre
16-19 April 2024
Audience by invitation only