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Hamlet Praise the ThiefThe iconic show, which combines Shakespeare’s tragedy and Radiohead’s sixth album, will open at Barbican Theater in London these shoots.
The film premiered internationally at Aviva Studios in Manchester last year and played at the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford-upon-Avon. It is a collaboration between Factory International and the Royal Shakespeare Company and was created by Radiohead frontman, Thom Yorkeand directors Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones. Yorke recreated the 2003 album, which is performed on stage with singers and actors, the lyrics promoting the themes of sadness, depression and despair in the play.
Samuel Blenkin returns as Hamlet. In his own four star reviewMark Fisher of the Guardian praised Blenkin’s “strange” performance as “the voice of a generation outraged by the failings of its leaders” who “have as much national disdain as Yorke and his team did after September 11 and the rise of George W Bush”. The title of the record was a twist on the US presidential anthem (Hail to the Chief), which Yorke heard about Bush’s victory in Florida in the 2000 election.
The exhibition will run from 31 October to 23 January. Yorke said: “At last I bring Hamlet Hail to the Thief of London, and to Barbican of all places! It is interesting and strange to me how this has come to life and how it has worked. When it revealed itself to us after some time I was surprised, I had never had such an experience before. I am glad to be seen by so many people in such a difficult place. ” Jones said: “The play and the album continue to speak urgently to the confused world we live in.” Hoggett said the Barbican was a place where “the boundaries (of) what theater can be are pushed”.
Some of the actors returning from the original production are Paul Hilton as Claudius, Claudia Harrison as Gertrude and Ami Tredrea as Ophelia who, in this version, also asks the question “to be or not to be”.
During the revival, “Hail to the Thief” stage production, Yorke listened to his archived music. “I was amazed at the energy we played“he said. A new mix of songs, from 2003 to 2009, was released as a surprise album for Radiohead last summer.
