Sets are being built, an intense rehearsal schedule is underway and excitement mounts as Beverley’s East Riding Theatre prepares to present its inaugural Shakespeare production, Hamlet, which opens on Friday September 23 for a three-week run.
The play’s uncompromising study of humanity in all its depth and complexity is a timeless psychological drama that has enthralled audiences the world over and it’s fitting this exciting new production is being performed in the year which marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.
Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatises the revenge Prince Hamlet is called to wreak upon his uncle, Claudius, by the ghost of Hamlet’s father, King Hamlet. Claudius had murdered his own brother and seized the throne, also marrying his deceased brother’s widow.
The play was one of Shakespeare’s most popular works during his lifetime and still ranks among his most performed.
This ERT production boasts an almost 100 per cent local cast, most of whom have been seen in other shows at the theatre. Gabriel Winter, who was Bill Sykes in last year’s Christmas show, Oliver Twist, plays Hamlet, while Malcolm Tomlinson, father of Poldark star Eleanor Tomlinson, is Claudius.
Other parts include Neil King and Richard Avery, of Beverley-based theatre company Other Lives, as Polonius, chief counsellor to the King, and the Ghost of King Hamlet respectively, Peter McMillan (Laertes/Rosencrantz), Gordon Meredith (Horatio/Guildenstern) and Sarah Naughton (Gertrude).
Director Clive Kneller, who has also performed in previous ERT productions, said: “In this the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, it seemed highly appropriate to stage a production of his most famous tragedy.
“This vital and fast moving production amply illustrates the continued relevance of Shakespeare’s play to the modern world. Love, hate, political intrigue and domestic violence combine to destroy a family dynasty and the very foundation of civilised society.”
And actor Neil King is confident this fast-paced version of Shakespeare’s most famous plays has been made accessible to all ages and all kinds of audiences.
“The evidence is that when Hamlet was originally performed the acting script was much shorter than the printed folio text and changed all the time. Our text, too, is crisp and ebbs and flows. We have aimed to tame the text and contain it closer to the probable length of the 1601 performance,” he said.
“What would Shakespeare have thought of our production? I think that he would have loved it.”
Hamlet opens at the East Riding Theatre, Beverley, on Friday September 23 and runs nightly, except Mondays, until Saturday October 15. There will also be matinee performances on Saturdays September 24, October 1, October 8 and October 15. For further information or tickets call the theatre on 01482 874050 or log onto www.eastridingtheatre.co.uk
