Nottinghamshire actors to star in brand-new adaptation of Hamlet at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall
Actors, technicians, and creatives from the area have come together to create a bold new adaptation of a Shakespeare classic.
Produced by the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the ambitious ‘people’s theatre’ production has been created through an 11-month creative journey — from workshops and devising, to masterclasses, and learning technical skills.
The show, Hamlet: The Rest is Silence, is now in its final stages of rehearsal, ahead of the performances on June 10 and 11.
Two casts will perform two distinct interpretation of the same text — which retains the heart of Shakespeare while updating it for 21st century audiences.
Director Rebecca Morris, who wrote the adapted script, said: “We’ve created an adaptation shaped by the stories of the people involved.
“It’s not just about the performance, it’s also been about the process — collaborative, rigorous, and profoundly human. This production is really what the Shakespeare Nation is all about, from those participating to those watching, looking at what is relevant and beautiful about these timeless stories, and sharing our interpretation in a way that is clear and accessible to everyone.”
The two two-hour productions will explore the ‘sound and silence’ within Hamlet, focusing on storytelling and theatrical invention.
Additional scenes have also been created from text found elsewhere in Shakespeare’s works, to give fresh context and more character depth.
Alongside the actors, who have the opportunity to work with specialist coaches from the Royal Shakespeare Company, a community technical and production team of nine people have created the props, set, and costumes, and designed the lights and sound for the show with support and training provided by the venue and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The deputy stage manager and assistant director are also community participants who, along with the rest of the production team, have trained for almost a year to run the production from behind the scenes.
