Theatre / Bristol old vic
Bristol Old Vic announces the cast for Hamlet
Bristol Old Vic has announced the cast for Hamlet, the first major in-house production of its Autumn season, which opens its month-long run on October 13.
Arguably Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, this iteration of the psychological thriller is directed by John Haidar, who has previously directed Richard III for the stage.
It will star Billy Howle in the title role, known for recent TV and film roles including The Serpent, MotherFatherSon, On Chesil Beach and Chloe.
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Billy Howle – photo: Iona Wolff
He is joined by major stage and TV actor Niamh Cusack (His Dark Materials; My Brilliant Friend; The Virtues) as Gertrude, Mirren Mack (Sex Education; The Nest) as Ophelia, Finbar Lynch (Child 44; Sufragette; The Hollow Crown) as Claudius, and Jason Barnett as Polonius (The Winter’s Tale; Pericles; War Horse).
Niamh Cusack – photo: courtesy of Bristol Old Vic
Actor and writer Isabel Adomakoh Young (Heartstopper) plays Horatio, and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School graduate Taheen Modak (The Bay; Two Weeks to Live) takes the dual roles of Laertes and Rosencrantz.
Catrin Stewart (Stella; Doctor Who) and Firdous Bamji (The Sixth Sense; Unbreakable) will be multi-roling as Guildenstern/Reynaldo/Player Queen and the Ghost/Player King/Gravedigger respectively.
Isabel Adomakoh Young – photo: Chris Mann
Taheen Modak – photo: courtesy of Bristol Old Vic
“This production was first conceived of before the pandemic, so to have had Bristol Old Vic’s support throughout that time and to now be able to begin rehearsals for it means such a lot,” says Haidar.
His creative collaborators are Alex Eales (set design), Natalie Pryce (costume design), Malcolm Rippeth (lighting design), Max Pappenheim (music/sound), Jack Phelan (video design), Lucy Cullingford (movement director), Sam Stevenson (casting director), Bret Yount (fight director), Zoe Hammond (costume supervisor) and Elinor Lower (assistant director).
“I’m grateful to be working with an incredibly gifted team, onstage and off, to interpret these characters and their fractured world anew.”
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Hamlet (age recommendation 12+) is at Bristol Old Vic from October 13-November 12 at 7.30pm, with 2pm matinee shows on Thursday and Saturday. The show will also be live broadcast on November 10-11 as part of Bristol Old Vic on Screen. Tickets are available at www.bristololdvic.org.uk.
Main photo: Bristol Old Vic
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