Hamlet at Belvoir St Theatre

Every generation feels the irresistible compulsion to attempt to stage this, the greatest play by the greatest playwright. Then, when we try, we’re haunted by the ghosts of past Hamlets: Olivier, Gielgud… Roxburgh. Every new production becomes a strange mirror of the play itself: a new Hamlet encounters the ghost of an old Hamlet and puts on a play in order to find out how to really become Hamlet. It takes the perfect combination of director and leading man to tackle this perennial conundrum – to face up to the ghosts and plunge into the thing itself with clear eyes.

Director Simon Stone is ruthless and visionary in his pursuit of the essential in a text; Toby Schmitz is one of the great actors of his generation: quick, droll and fiendishly sharp. Hamlet is the natural next step in their theatrical partnership. They’ll be joined by a cast of masters, including the wonderful Robyn Nevin and Emily Barclay.

IT’S TIME.