Full cast and band announced for HAMLET HAIL TO THE THIEF at Barbican Theatre

The full cast and band have been announced for Hamlet Hail to the Thief ahead of its London premiere at the Barbican Theatre from 31 October - 23 January, following an acclaimed world premiere at Aviva Studios last year.

As previously announced Samuel Blenkin will reprise his role as Hamlet, alongside Ami Tredrea as Ophelia, Paul Hilton as Claudius/Ghost, Claudia Harrison as Gertrude, Alby Baldwin as Horatio, Brandon Grace as Laertes, Felipe Pacheco as Guildenstern, Romaya Weaver as Barnarda/Player Queen/understudy Ophelia, and Marienella Phillips as  understudy Rosencrantz, Barnarda/Player Queen and Gravedigger.

Announced today and completing the cast will be Nicolas Tennant (Mother Courage and Her Children, Shakespeare’s Globe) as Polonius, Merryl Ansah (The Lion King, West End) as Gravedigger/understudy Gertrude, Miles Barrow (Game of Thrones, RSC) as Rosencrantz/understudy Hamlet, Halim Diwani (professional stage debut) as understudy Laertes/Horatio/Guildenstern, and Gavin James as understudy Claudius/Polonius. 

The full original band will return to the production including Ed Begley (Vocals), Tom Brady (Music Supervisor, Music Director and Keys 2), Jenny Clifford (Guitars), Joe Downard (Bass Guitar), Shane Forbes (Drums), Meg Hill (Vocals), Tom Knowles (Associate Music Supervisor and Keys 1) and Adam Martin (Guitars). They will be joined by two additional cover singers Emilio Moreno Arias and Josephina Ortiz Lewis.

In this fast-paced distillation of Hamlet, Shakespeare’s words and Radiohead’s songs illuminate one another in thrilling new ways that fuse theatre, music and movement. Personally reworked by Yorke, the deconstructed album is performed live onstage by a cast of musicians and actors. 

Elsinore has a new ruler, and the air bites. Hamlet Hail to the Thief centres on Hamlet and Ophelia’s awakening to the lies and corruption infecting their war-like state.  In this witching hour, when ghosts reveal wild and hurling truths, hectic pulses through the blood of its citizens. When minds and hearts are overthrown, music speaks loudly. 

For more info on Hamlet Hail to the Thief, please click here.