THIS IS LONDON OCTOBER EDITION 2025 - Flipbook - Page 26
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HAMLET
THE SPY WHO CAME IN
In its entire 67-year history, the
FROM THE COLD
National Theatre has been graced by the
The West End premiere of John le
Prince of Denmark only seven times.
Carré’s The Spy Who Came in From the
This is arguably one of Shakespeare’s Cold, adapted for the stage by awardmost well-loved plays, centring around
winning playwright and screenwriter
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, who has
David Eldridge, will run for 14 weeks
been charged by the spirit of his late
staged in the round @sohoplace from
father to seek revenge on Claudius,
17 November until 21 February. This is
his father’s brother. The ghost claims the the first novel by the undisputed master
King was murdered by his brother, and
of the modern spy genre to be brought
charges Hamlet to seek revenge on
to life on stage. Jeremy Herrin will
Claudius, who usurped his father’s
direct following his recent acclaimed
throne and married his father’s widow,
productions of People, Places and
Queen Gertrude.
Things and Long Day’s Journey
We are immersed in the world of the
into Night.
Danish court from the outset; we first
British intelligence officer Alec
meet Hamlet in a vast room with
Leamas is weary, hardened, and ready to
chandeliers and lavish paintings, and as come in from the cold. But when
the first Act unfolds, the spaces seem to spymaster George Smiley presents one
get smaller and darker, echoing,
final mission – dangerous, deceptive,
perhaps, the troubled mind of the
and deeply personal – Leamas agrees to
protagonist.
stay in the game. Dispatched into enemy
Actors to have taken on the titular role territory, he finds his convictions tested
at the National Theatre include: Simon
and his defences breached by Liz Gold, a
Russel Beale, Rory Kinnear and Daniel
quietly defiant librarian whose
Day-Lewis. This production sees Olivier compassion threatens to thaw his
award-winner Hiran Abeysekera as the
frostbitten heart.
prince, full of charm and intelligence.
This being one of Shakespeare’s most
famous roles, one could be forgiven for
thinking Abeysekera would indulge,
leaving great pauses and generally
finding other ways of adding another
hour to the running time, but it is not so.
Always we feel him twisting and
turning, desperate to unravel the knot of
his father’s death and resolve the charge
of his father’s ghost. He is, as such,
exceptionally believable.
Special mention must also go to
Rory Keenan (as Alec Leamas) in The
Francesca Mills, whom I found
Spy Who Came In From The Cold.
spellbinding as Ophelia, and Ayesha
Photo: Johan Persson
Darker, who played Queen Gertrude
beautifully.
A global bestseller for over six
In truth, this whole production was
decades and named one of TIME
impeccable.
Magazine’s All-Time 100 Novels, The
Reece Webster Spy Who Came In From The Cold is
le Carré at his most incisive, a story of
betrayal not only between nations, but
within the human soul.
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WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION
OF WEIRD
Weird, an electrifying pop-powered
musical reimagining Shakespeare’s
classic tragedy Macbeth, is making its
World Premiere at Newcastle Theatre
Royal in January.
This brand new British musical from
acclaimed producer Michael Harrison,
written by Nick Butcher, Kerri Watt
and Fraser Watt, will combine witchcraft,
mischief and mayhem, with a soundtrack
of newly created pop anthems, telling the
dramatic tale of the Scottish king through
the eyes of three witches.
Michael Harrison said: ‘When I first
read Weird and listened to the incredible
soundtrack, I knew I wanted the biggest
audience possible to see it so I’m
delighted that more seats have now been
allocated for members of the public to be
part of the world premiere run in
Newcastle. It’s fair to say some of us don’t
understand Shakespeare - Weird will
change that. We hope this is just the
beginning and that many more will be able
to see this thrilling new British musical.’
Michael Harrison is widely considered
as one of the industry’s leading theatre
producers. This month, in association
with Cameron Mackintosh, he has
opened Miss Saigon – a new production
of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary
musical – with a three-week run at
Newcastle Theatre Royal, before the epic
production heads out on a major UK tour.
Michael’s other theatre productions
include this year’s acclaimed, sold-out
production of Evita at the London
Palladium; Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat; Sunset
Boulevard;The Wizard of Oz; Hello, Dolly!;
Titanique and Starlight Express, which
has just extended its award-winning run
at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
in London for a sixth time.
Michael has a long association with
the iconic Grey Street venue and has
chosen his hometown theatre for the
world premiere of Weird.
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