Benedict Cumberbatch to Lead Lyndsey Turner's HAMLET at Barbican Theatre, August 2015

Lyndsey Turner's production of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, with Benedict Cumberbatch playing the title role, will begin performances at the Barbican Theatre on 5 August 2015, with opening night on 25 August at 7pm. The twelve week limited run will conclude on 31 October 2015. Set design is by Es Devlin. Further casting and details for this production will be announced at a later date. Hamlet will be produced by Sonia Friedman Productions.

Tickets go on public sale on Monday 11 August 2014 at 10am, with priority booking for Barbican members beginning today (1 August 2014).

At each performance there will be 100 seats at £10, positioned throughout the auditorium. These seats will be released for sale at a later date. In addition to regular performances, there will be four education matinees scheduled exclusively for schools, higher and further education students. These performances will go on-sale early 2015 via the Barbican, with booking details to be announced at a later date.

As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to revenge his father's death but paralysed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state.

Benedict Cumberbatch is an international multi-award winning theatre, television and film actor. His recent stage credits, both for the National Theatre, are After the Dance and alternating both the creature and Dr Frankenstein, in Danny Boyle's production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for which he won the Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Best Actor awards. Also, a critically-acclaimed television actor, he is currently best known for playing the title role in the BBC's Sherlock. His film work includes Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Star Trek into Darkness, 12 Years a Slave, The Fifth Estate, August: Osage County and the role of Smaug in The Hobbit trilogy, with the final instalment to be released later this year. In October Cumberbatch will be seen playing Alan Turning in The Imitation Game which opens The BFI London Film Festival.

Lyndsey Turner's directing credits include Fathers and Sons and Philadelphia, Here I Come! for the Donmar Warehouse, Machinal for the Roundabout Theatre, Chimerica at the Almeida and in the West End, Posh for the Royal Court and in the West End, There Is A War and Edgar and Annabel for the National Theatre, Aliceand The Way Of The World for Sheffield Theatres and Our Private Life, Contractions, A Miracle for the Royal Court.

Hamlet will be presented by the Barbican and produced by Sonia Friedman Productions for an exclusive 12-week run.

Theatre: Barbican Theatre, Silk St, London EC2Y 8DS

Tickets: 1 August 2014 at 10am, priority booking opens for Barbican Red Members

4 August 2014 at 10am, priority booking opens for Barbican Orange Members

11 August 2014 at 10am, public booking opens

Dates: 5 August 2015 - 31 October 2015

Performances: Monday - Saturday 7.15pm, Saturday matinees 1.30pm

Opening night: 25 August at 7pm

Box Office: 020 7638 8891

Website: www.hamlet-barbican.com

Twitter: #hamletbarbican