About the Show

A sharp, fearless new Hamlet brings Shakespeare’s classic into the modern world with wit and grit.

Director Robert Hastie (Operation Mincemeat) brings his bold, contemporary vision of Hamlet to BAM in collaboration with London’s National Theatre. In this reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) stars as the Danish prince grappling with grief, betrayal, and the corrosive pursuit of truth. The production combines wit, psychological tension, and dark humor to illuminate the play’s enduring questions of power and morality.

This engagement launches a new partnership between BAM and the National Theatre, uniting two institutions renowned for theatrical innovation.

Since its BAM debut in 1861, Hamlet has been reinterpreted by directors including Ingmar Bergman, Peter Brook, and Thomas Ostermeier. Hastie’s staging continues that tradition, marking a new chapter in the venue’s history with Shakespeare’s most restaged and reimagined work.

Critic Reviews (4)

Francesca Mills delivers a towering performance as Ophelia — you can’t take your eyes off her. But Hiram Abeysekera’s manic Hamlet doesn’t need vengeance. He needs Ritalin. ★★★☆☆
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Four and a half stars. “[Led by] the very excellent Francesca Mills as Ophelia, this Hamlet...[perfectly illustrates] the ability of the Bard’s plays to adapt to any era”
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For a previous production

"In 'Hamlet' we see a production that sometimes succumbs to one of the frequent pitfalls of experimental takes on classic works: It feels more attuned to inherited ideas about and traditions of the play as opposed to being attuned to the material itself."
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For a previous production

"It’s the only production of 'Hamlet' I’ve seen where the production feels like it can freely mess with the play, interpolating ad libs and songs and slicing the text without feeling beholden to the play as the masterpiece it is."
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