Hamlet Hail to the Thief, a new version of Shakepeare’s Hamlet brought to life by Radiohead’s Hail to the Thief, is now in rehearsals ahead of its London premiere at the Barbican Theatre this month.
Thom Yorke, Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett have collaborated on the project, with Yorke reworking Radiohead’s album, which is performed live by a cast of musicians and actors.
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.
Completing the cast are Nicolas Tennant as Polonius, Merryl Ansah as Gravedigger/understudy Gertrude, Miles Barrow as Rosencrantz/understudy Hamlet, Halim Diwani as understudy Laertes, Horatio and Guildenstern and Gavin James as understudy Claudius and 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.
Hamlet, by Shakespeare, is adapted by Christine Jones with Steven Hoggett, with music by Radiohead. It is directed by Hoggett and Jones, with orchestrations by Thom Yorke, scenography by AMP featuring Sadra Tehrani, arrangements by Justin Levine, music supervision by Tom Brady, choreography by Jess Williams, sound design by Gareth Fry, projection design by Will Duke, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, costume design by Lisa Duncan, casting director by Charlotte Sutton for the RSC, dramaturg and textural consultant Ayanna Thompson, associate director Francesca Murray-Fuentes, associate projection designer David Butler, associate lighting designer Tamykha Patterson, assistant director James Cooney, fight director Kev McCurdy, sound manipulator Jack Moulton and general manager New Road Theatricals.
Hail to the Thief (2003) is Radiohead’s sixth studio album with singles including There There, 2+2=5 and Go to Sleep. Recorded in the wake of the September 11 attacks and the subsequent War on Terror, the album underscores a period of paranoia, fear and anxiety, with dystopian themes incorporating Orwell inspired lyrics and theatrical, Brothers Grimm style fables. Inspired by Thom’s preparation work for Hamlet Hail to the Thief, Radiohead released Hail To The Thief – Live Recordings last September, revisiting archived tracks from across live shows from 2003 to 2009.
Hamlet Hail to the Thief comes to London after its world premiere at Aviva Studios last year.
It plays Barbican Theatre from October 31, 2026 to January 23, 2027. Tickets here.
Top image: L-R Nicolas Tennant, Romaya Weaver and Claudia Harrison in rehearsal for Hamlet Hail to the Thief. Photo by Manuel Harlan (image supplied)