The ‘Cumberbatch ’ Hamlet (2)

Abstract

One of the many notable aspects of Lyndsey Turner’s production of Hamlet (Barbican Theatre, London, 5 August to 31 October 2015) was the way in which the text was cut and reordered. This article looks in detail at where these cuts fell, which events (and/or lines) were transposed, and what effect the changes had on the narrative. It also argues that Turner’s editorial choices have something in common with the types of changes made by directors of Shakespeare on film over the past 25 years and asks whether this might be the beginning of a trend in theatrical adaptations of the plays.